Providence
by AndyBunny
Summary: #12. Wherein he fell for her fast and hard. And the only thing Usui Takumi ever wanted is to possess Ayuzawa Misaki and claim her as only his. Another AU story of Usui Takumi and Ayuzawa Misaki that defines love could overcome and overlook everything.
1. Chapter 1: Fate

This story is solely dedicated to:

Kate Tolentino

Riz Pauline Malibiran

Jan Veda Marie Pajarillo

Monina Angela Santos aka EroPanda

Patricia Atienza

Diamyca Dhen Carmen

Gladys Vargas

Kenneth Flores

Milleth Corpus.

… Missing you guys already!

A/N: I'm back again—but this time, not with Heiress. I couldn't really find the imagination to write that one so I'm presenting you Providence instead. This is nothing but a four-to six chapters—really short. It has slight complicacy and I hope you'd still like it even if you're probably killing me to update my last and about to finished Heiress novel (novel, seriously?). After writing this, I hope I would now find the strength to finish H so I could write The Grim Reaper.

By the way, kindly disregard my A/N on the last chapter of Magic Eight Ball. I was supposed to post this story on with different characters but then again, I thought, why not post this on FFN instead?

Hope you like it!

**This story is for you. :D**

I'm currently addicted to male POVs lately so this story's point of view belongs to a male. Anyway, I do own the idea but I give respect to the genius of Hiro Fujiwara. Thank you and I hope you enjoy.

And as always, do tell me what you think.

PP.

**Providence:**

-;-

At night when the stars light up my room

I sit by myself, talking to the moon.

Trying to get to you. In hopes that on the other side, you're talking to me too

Or am I a fool who sits alone, talking to the moon?

-;-

_**Unleash your imagination and let the words flow.**_

_**_ FFN & FP_**_

-;-

Prologue:

They said that in our life, there is this one person, which is connected within us in very doable and plausible way.

But I never believe that. To be honest, I'm a hater of that topic. Love is just a complicated thing, a hard to understand kind of logic… an irreversible kind of affection. Love is like a hurricane. It appears to destroy and wreak havoc on a certain someone's life.

Love is and was never meant to be easy.

But falling in love with her… is the easiest thing that I've ever done my entire life. She was this sweet little thing I always find myself absolutely connected to. And in fact, without her, I'm completely nothing. My heart belonged to her the moment I saw her and without verbally admitting, I know from the start that I'm already in love with he.

And I'd do everything just so she could be with me… and avoid the deathtrap Death had planned on her along with people who hated her.

**Chapter One:**

It didn't matter if the sky was releasing loads of water or if thunder was slicing the heavens apart. All I could ever think of is that I needed to escape those people chasing after me and finished off my work in a spotless manner. With all my strength focused on my legs, I ran off as fast as I could and without a doubt, I jumped off the building I was at and landed on the building gracefully on the building next to the one I was previously at. The people chasing after me stop right by the edge of the edifice and burned holes on me. I produced a smirk before running off again just in time to escape them when they started raining my path with bullets. But I really wasn't that fortunate because one bullet hit me by the shoulder.

I didn't hide my expression as I lost my balance and rolled down on the spiral staircase before landing on the ground with a loud thud. It was already a good thing I was wearing leather or my blood would have spilled on the floor and I couldn't waste the time to grab a map and clean my mess up. I put pressure on the profusely bleeding wound and before walking towards the nearest window and jumped off… until I realized that I was currently at the third floor and that I landed hard and violent again on a grassy ground.

I wiped the blood on my hands on the leather jacket I wore, ignoring the explicit pain on my shoulders before walking on the rain. I look up at the skyscraper again, rubbing my hands together to rid blood away and runs off to the black sedan waiting for me by the empty lot on the next street.

The door next to the driver's seat automatically flew open and I dutifully climbed up on it before shutting the door's closed. The car's interior lights switched on and illuminated Aoi's pale face. Aoi's was my friend, my best friend, and we've been together ever since we're eight years old. His family is a close family friend of ours that's why we became these good friends that we are now.

His enthusiastic brown eyes bored into mine as he threw me a towel and revved the engine back to life. "Twenty minutes tops." He said in lieu of his hello. "You're five minutes late."

"I did my best." I told him timidly before removing my jacket and threw it on the backseat. I used towel to put pressure on my profusely bleeding wound and clenches my fist tightly. Apart from the gun wound, I also have a few minor sprains on my left feet and right arm. Guess I'm having too much wounds for the day. I turned back to Aoi. "Is Kaon waiting for us in the pad?" I asked him.

Aoi nodded as he checked out my wound. "Yeah… is that serious?"

"Not much." I shut the lights off and leaned my head on the backrest of the leathered seat before shutting my eyes closed. "I'm hungry. Where's the phone?"

He grabbed something from the dash and tosses the phone on my wet dark washed jeans. "Planning to call your Mom?" he was grinning when he asked this.

"I'm not planning to go home all wet and looks like I'm about to die." I snorted at him with a roll of my eyes before dialing the pad's number. By the third ring, my other friend Kaon picked up.

"Hello, Aoi? How's—"

I effectively cut her off. "It's Usui. We're on our way home."

She stuttered a, "S-Sure. How's the mission?"

"I got the tape." I tapped the dashboard with my index finger as the migraine sliced through my veins. Must be the after effects of walking in the rain. "Can you cook late dinner for us?"

"Sure. I'm on the dot. Don't drive beyond speed limits." That and she hung up.

With my entire body aching at the same moment, I threw the phone on the dashboard and pressed my head hard against the darkness. "Hit the road, Aoi. I want to get home as soon as possible and that depends on how fast you drive back to our turf."

"Are we talking about speed limits?"

With my eyes closed, I nodded. "Sure." His laughter echoed on my ears as he stepped on the gas pedal, feed the engine with more gas and drove past agreeable speed limits.

.

Hyatt Skyscraper welcomed us with bright lights that absolutely hurt my eyes. I live in here since I find myself rather independent and seek more the call of solitary. My other friends—along with Aoi and Kaon—sometimes comes around to visit me or when missions are out again for us to push through. Kaon's more on the shadowy side since on various missions, she's not allowed on the field. Our parents knew this kind of job. In fact, we work under their supervision. With all the wealth they possess that most people envy, they would need people whom they could trust their life, wealth and future on. And since they couldn't find people whom they could trust all those three, they decided to sent us to trainings so that as we grow up and reached our rightful age, we would be able to protect them.

Our lives as personal guards of our parents aren't that interesting. By evening—or when missions come out—we work as undercover agents; by morning, we are high schoolers—juniors to be specific. We are at risked too for being attacked at school so the school Director installed high profile security system on the entire Providence Academy and allowed us to bring the most inconspicuous of weapons to protect ourselves just in case something went wrong. After all, we can't risked to be discovered either.

I got my jacket from the backseat and put it on to conceal my gun wound and limped towards the entrance while Aoi threw his keys to the valet. The woman from the reception greeted us a warm good evening that I willingly ignore. Aoi, despite the lateness of the night, seemed gleeful as he greeted the receptionist back with that flirty voice of his. I got inside the elevator in a flash, punched in our floor number until the elevator pinged and opened to our flat. It was a quiet floor—probably because the entire place was bought for me—before I undo my jacket and walked towards my pad.

Kaon, coming from the kitchen to welcome us, had her eyes round at the sight of blood on my shirt. Her mouth fell open as she gaped at me. "Oh, my God—"

Again, I interrupted her. "I'm starving." I say and walked past her to get to the kitchen. "Come on, Aoi. I'm hungry. Kaon, come eat with us too."

"But… but—" Kaon chased after me and grabbed my healthy shoulder before whacking me hard on my head. "Takumi, you're damn bleeding. How could you act as if nothing happened to you?"

I couldn't help but glare at her. "Don't make a big fuss out of it or I'll kick you out."

"I'll leave by myself but not until I get to fix your wound." She pinched my shoulder again before pulling me by my elbow and dragged me to the bathroom and removes my white shirt off without getting bothered by it. She disinfected it first before gathering the materials she'd used to remove the bullet stuck on my flesh. Her forehead was creasing when she said, "Oh geez, Takumi. You've got a bullet planted on your bone!"

I sat by the bathtub while she fixed me and tried my best not to wince as she removed the bullet off my bone. Since Kaon's brother is a licensed psychiatrist—a doctor—she has a lot of experience and expertise on doing first aid stuff and doesn't even faint at the sight of blood. I really like her since she's always been so… so gracious and helpful on Aoi and I whenever we'd get ourselves in trouble during one of our missions.

She's a very reliable friend whom, I know quite well, that I could trust with my life.

However, my Mum likes Kaon for me—not as any normal friend but rather a favorite candidate to become my wife. But I never really like Kaon that way. In fact, our relationship only borders on that of a friend. I never really liked her that way. It felt as if, if I couldn't love her the way my Dad loves my mother, then, that must mean I couldn't love anyone that way. I consider myself unable to love what with all the things I couldn't understand yet. To be honest, it seemed as if I'm not capable of loving at all.

And besides, I'm certain that Kaon doesn't see me that way either. We're childhood friends—that's as simple as that.

When she's done fixing me, she brightened up and grinned at me. "There, you look much more humane now than a while ago."

I ignored her and got off the tub before walking straight to the dining where the food she had cooked for Aoi and I remained seated and untouched. "Aoi, come on." I called out as I passed by him by the living room. He leaped from the living room and appeared to be seated by the dining table only to frown at the sight of my bloody figure.

"You could wear a shirt, you know?" he suggests sardonically.

I simply ignored him. "Hand over the tape to Mom once you get home. He got a loaf of bread and bit him while Kaon took the seat next to him.

She too started eating. "By the way, Takumi, what's so important with that tape that you have to go as far as allowing yourself to get hurt just to retrieve it?"

Merely, I shrugged. "Before Ethereal Corporation became the way it was now, there were a few underground anomalies they have previously engaged in to." I answered her dully. Those tapes I got could destroy everything about us so, I need to risk my life just to retrieve it." I sighed. "It could bring the company and our entire family into shambles."

Kaon's forehead creased. "Shambles like what?"

''I don't know. But it could certainly destroy us. It could get destructive once publicized. These are very controversial information that Mom and Dad doesn't want me to involve."

Aoi groaned. "Crap, it's probably a scandal. Can't we watch it?"

I stared at him as if he had grown out another head before shaking my head. "We can't. These are classified information. We can't watch it. And I could care less whatever it may contain. I don't really care."

"Takumi, you will be the heir of that corporation you're talking about." Kaon informed me, matter-of-fact. "You're the legal heir because Jewel wanted none of that wealth. I think it's better if you would care about it… even for a little bit."

I turned to Kaon morosely. "I'm only seventeen, Kaon. I don't have any plans yet to deal with family business."

I thought I saw her roll her eyes. "Whatever."

I never really like the discussion about my future because all the more had it makes me realized how much I'm alike of that of a cage bird. It bounds me deeper into my family which I wanted so badly to escape from. Of course I do have plans to take over since I wanted my youngest and only sister safe from harm once she decided to take the life far from the life Mom wanted her as. And since it was still years away before I am to take over, I don't want to keep dealing with it while I'm barely an adult.

And besides, I still have plans to get to a good college university. It was the kind of plan that is in complete divergence to what Mom wanted for me. In fact, she doesn't have any plans to send me off to college after my high school graduation. Their plan is to immediately send me off to the company where I'd be learning from the professional and already expert executives of the company.

I run a hand through my hair and tried to square my shoulder only to wince since my wound aches like hell.

Aoi watched me in silence. "Dude, you should really have Tomu checked that one out."

Tomu is Kaon's doctor brother.

I simply ignore him and massage my aching arm. "Whatever."

.

The start of the third semester is composed of many periodical examinations. The third grading is the most difficult time of the year what with the existence of year repetition. That's why wherever one would look; one would notice how busy students are—including the professors—on focusing on academic matters. The outside property of the Academy was filled with students studying hard for the third grading examination, and with my binder tucked on my arm and my messenger bag sling on my healthy shoulder, I walked past the crowd of gossiping people from the female population and ignored them as they giggled and simper around to get my attention.

I run a hand through my hair and made a beeline to the main entrance of the sports complex, glaring at females who find the chance to touch my behind when this girl appeared out of nowhere and in front of me causing me to crash against him. But to my intense astonishment, she clumsily rocked back on her heels and fell on the ground with her books and backpack scattering on near spots around us. I fought the urge to growl at her because it obviously looked as though she was exaggerating when she falls down the ground and her books escaping her grip.

People within the three-mile radius watched us with their interested eyes and I have no choice but to help her gather her things. I got her glasses first—her black-rimmed glasses—which looked as though she inherited from her grandmother's grandmother and handed it back to her since she was tracing her way around like a blind man. She mumbled a low "Thank you" and I was instantly fascinated by her voice. It wasn't that low nor too high either. And in fact, it sounded like melody in my ears. So when she suddenly looked up to meet my gaze with her huge amber eyes, I was tantalized.

She was beautiful, and she wore her frills full that gave more emphasis to her prominent cheeks, huge doe eyes and very obvious Japanese lineage. Her hair was the color of raven with light strands of brown and copper that was long enough to reach her elbows. She was petite and her uniform made her look much more of a doll. She blinked, before blood crept up her pale cheeks and she looked away—which made me snap back to reality since I was obviously ogling at her—and continued to gather her books around. I help her out again, this time, in silence because I might end up saying something really stupid. We stood in synchronization and I couldn't avoid checking her out again. Her face was heart shaped adorned with beautiful amber eyes, flushed and prominent cheeks, cute nose that fitted her pixie face and pouty lips. The thick glasses she wore made her look old-fashioned but she gave justice wearing those because all the more had it made her look as though she was a doll.

I watched her as she brushed bangs off her face and repeatedly lower her head down which is a well-distinguished manner of people from Asian countries. "I-I'm so sorry—"

"Takumi-sama, hi!"

I didn't know what hit me but it honestly surprised me when some student—I couldn't remember her name—suddenly appeared out of nowhere with her annoying friends, snatched the girl's books in my hands before she passed them to her friends who, as mean as they were, shove it to the girl with such unnecessary force before showing me a hundred watt smile that didn't amused me but rather made me even more annoyed.

I frowned inwardly. "What can I do for you?" I asked her to end this immediately. God knows I never wanted to deal with anyone that was considerable as downright mean and annoying.

But she didn't seem fazed by my reaction. "Well, I've been meaning to personally hand you this invitation for my fourteenth birthday which will be held…"

I ignored her when she fished out a pink customized invitation card from her bag and waved it on my face as though she was calling the attention of other students who wanted to go to her annoying party. Seriously, who would want to attend birthday celebrations like hers? God knows I've never been a fan of social gatherings like stuffs like that.

My eyes automatically searched the crowd that seems to be forming since someone was able to stop me from going to my destination and looks around in search of the woman who was able to catch my attention. She was too petite to be pushed around by this annoying kid before me. I bet she wasn't tall enough to reach the level of my shoulder… and she looked like a child wearing that kind of innocent expression on her face.

Could she be a sophomore?

I wonder if she's fine. She looked rather breakable to me. .

"—So, here."

I looked back at the female before me and down to the invitation she was handing over on my tightly clenched hands. I cringed away from her touch because another feeling haunted me when I accidentally touched the hand of that girl I recently bumped into. Her skin was smooth and clear it almost looked unhealthy but well, she was beautiful. I turned my eyes back to the female before me and lowered down my head like the gentleman I was thought as. "Thank you for inviting me. But I'm sorry, I can't come." That and I dashed away from her—and away from the forming crowd—and towards the area where I thought I saw the girl disappear off to. But she was already nowhere to be found.

And I began to wonder why I was so agitated to see her when it was the first time I've met her—I wasn't even properly introduced to her.

_Where could you be? _

Defeated, I went back to the Gym where my next class is located. When I entered the Gymnasium, many other sophomores flocked through the building. My thoughts flew to that woman again who got me impossibly interested. She was so petite she immediately lost on my line of vision. I shake my head in slight disappointment upon realizing she wasn't having the same class as I. But the emotion startled me and before I could ask further questions with regards to my reaction, Aoi came into view next to me and is already wearing his Gym uniform.

He was already grinning like the annoying idiot he was. "What's got you so disappointed, pal?" he asks. "You look like someone killed your dog."

I looked around the gym again and to the new arrival in search for the said woman whose face I couldn't seem to get rid from my entire system? I wonder why my heart is beating this fast? "I don't have a dog." I responded to Aoi while continually looking around only to find my thoughts sinking into disappointment at the thought of not seeing her again.

I began to wonder what period she's in now… and her name.

"Seriously Takumi, are you stalking someone?" Aoi looked at me in amusement. "You're starting to freak me out. Kaon has Literature period as of the moment—if she was the one you're stalking." He shuddered before leaning away from me.

I glared at him. "I'm not stalking Kaon, idiot. Why would I do that?"

He shrugged. "I don't know... because you're a stalker when your Normal mode isn't switched on?" he laughed.

I ignored him and proceeded to the male's locker room to change into my Gym clothes even if I'm not in the perfect state to play and practice basketball. My shoulder ached nonstop so I was quite thankful when Aoi finally told our Gym coach about my injury thus, making me unable to participate. It annoyed me when humans of the female population began to flock around me and asked annoying questions with regards to my health. The thought of burning them flickered through my thoughts. And before I could do as much as kill them all, I walked away and towards another spot so I could find some peace of mind.

I wasn't really on the right mind to talk with anyone thus, I ignored them all.

I sat on a corner with my knee folded and my healthy arm placed on it when Aoi popped out of nowhere and handed me a bottled water. "Thanks." I grumbled noncommittally.

He nodded. "Drink your irritation away." He told me. "You looked as though you'll kill and bite people who comes approaching you. It's irritating.

Without any proper reasons to tell him, I twisted the cap of my water and drink it all up before exhaling. "It's nothing. My wound is just bugging me off."

"Is it about the girl?"

I spun around to face him; stunned. "The girl?"

Aoi nodded once. "Yeah. That eyeglasses character woman you pulled a stunt with at the exit. Kaon called and told me about it. Did something happen? Do you know her?"

_Right. I didn't know her. So why am I this anxious to know her then? What's wrong with me now? Disgustingly concerning myself with a stupid woman who's probably like all the other females in this damned Academy. _

Cyron spoke again. "You know you could tell me if you're interested with her."

"Finally, Aoi! Takumi is interested to a girl. I already told you he's no gay, did I not?" that obnoxiously loud voice is none other than our English professor—and unfortunate as it were, a cousin who five years older than I—Maria Miyazono-sensei… and her too loud announcement made almost all the students inside the huge gym snapped their eyes on us.

I felt heat inched up my nape as I turned to Maria in annoyance.

But she merely shrugged my expression and jump next to me. "So, who's the lucky girl you're crushing on? Name her and I'll do tons of research about her to please you." She said this in an annoyingly loud voice.

I could practically notice everyone—including our Gym coach—inching forward to hear my response. I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to gain full control of my temper, before growling at Maria. "I'm not crushing on anyone." I hissed at her. "And even if I had, you'd be the last person to know. But that's beside the point. You weren't supposed to be here."

"Come on now and tell me who's your lucky sweetheart. I'll do you a good favor in return."

"Good. I want you to get lost."

"Takumi, that isn't the right way to speak with your professor."

Turning back to her, I said, "And that, also, isn't the right way to approach your students." She started complaining which all the more got me pissed off. I looked away and gripped my bottled water tightly when a flash of brownish black hair flickered on my peripheral view. I snapped my head to the direction of it I nearly got whiplash, which also made Aoi startled.

He was confused about my actions. "Whoa, what's wrong, stalker?"

She was talking with someone, another female who is as pale as her before giving something to the girl. The girl she was speaking with was obviously on the same Literature period as I am and both of them—I was so certain—are faces I've never seen before… until now. They are transfer students, I concluded by myself.

I glared at Aoi in annoyance when he waved his hand and growls at him. "What?" I shot in extreme irritation.

He seemed rather amused now. "Whoa, did you just growled at me?" to my irritation, he laughed. "What's up with you? Who are you looking at?" he looked back on the direction I was previously looking at. "What is it, Jedwin?"

I shake my head and tried to be unobtrusive when I risked a glance on her again. "Nothing." I stared at her again as she spoke with someone who was on my Literature period—I was certain her name was Sakura something—before she waved a hand in dismissed, grinned at the people in a rather mischievous way and walked off to the exit of the gym. I didn't know what happened but I swear I stood—meaning to chase after her when she was about to leave—but I hesitated because I don't know what I'd say either way. "She's leaving." I mumbled only to end up instantly regretting it when Maria beat me into chasing after her.

"Hi!" she greeted the startled female.

I was so annoyed I felt my blood pressure getting higher and higher every arriving second. "That girl is so in deep trouble once she returns here." I threatened under my labored breathing.

From behind me, Aoi chuckled in amusement. "Is that you're special girl, Takumi? Because… wow, she's really something. An eyeglasses character."

"Shut up." I snarled at him and look back at Maria again who was still chatting with the said female. And then their conversation was over when she lowered her head to Maria and startled me when she lowered her head down too to me and bid farewell to her. I was burning holes on Maria's face as she jogged towards us with that annoying grin on her face. The threats came out natural and unstoppable without my command. "Do you have a fucking death wish? Or your life is just so fucking boring that you've started bothering others just for the fun of it?"

Maria laughed at me; obviously not bothered by my threats. "Relax K9, I didn't told your sweetheart that you're crushing on her."

I gritted my teeth, totally annoyed. "Maria."

Aoi elbowed Maria. "Spit it out before things get bloody, Maria."

"Fine. _Fine." _She raised both hands in resignation. "Let's start with the basics. Her name is Ayuzawa Misaki. She's seventeen and she's a junior. No wonder I recognized her, she's on my ten AM literature period. She's a transferee along with two other kids and well, she's only five feet and two inches. She has Physics this morning and a free period on the next schedule. She loves to hang out on the library."

I glared at her.

She raised her hands again and steps away since I'm already on the verge of killing her. "Fine. Sorry for approaching her. But just so you know, being your cousin and all that, I want you to be with someone whom you love," leaning forward, she whispered. "—Not with Kaon because I definitely hate her."

Aoi laughed at her. "How mean, _sensei_."

Maria glared at her. "Shut up."

And then, he turned to me. "Are you excited to meet her again, Takumi?"

When the bell rang, signifying the end of our Gym class, I got my back and stood up, meaning to leave them before saying, "Whatever."

**.**

I didn't know what I was doing here in the library but all I know is that there was this magnetic pull than drags me to a place where I know she'd be. The library was unusually crowded with students studying for the final examinations so, when I entered, most of the eyes crashed down on me. I run a hand through my hair in annoyance and I swear I really heard someone shrieked.

This is the reason why I hate going to the library whenever it's finals season.

My eyes instantly spotted the vacant table next to the windows. I approached it and placed down my things on the table just in time I noticed a bag—a bag that belongs to a female—seated rather proudly on the chair facing me. I was about to change my mind about it when a pair of pale arms flashed through my peripheral view and drop some Physics and Calculus references on the table. I snapped my head back up at the sight of raven hair in time to see Ayuzawa Misaki dropping her books on the table and looking up at me too, she had that innocently confused look in her eyes when she met mine.

Once again, I thought I swallowed my tongue at the sight of her pixie face.

She seemed to have recognized me immediately. "Oh… hello." She lowered her head and gave me an innocent smile. "You're Miyazono-sensei's cousin." She said using the soprano voice of hers. "She was such a thoughtful cousin, don't you think? She told me you're good at almost everything." She placed her books properly on the desk and ushers me to take a seat. "Do have a seat."

I took the seat before her and tried to open a casual conversation with her. I took note of the books before her. "Why are you doing advance placements level Math? Weren't you a junior?"

"But I am." She answered humbly. "I'm a scholar of Math and Science subjects."

"You're smart."

"Not much." She laughed, and again, I was tantalized by that kind of laughter. "My Uncle sends me a tutor every time class and work is over. I needed the scholarship since I couldn't properly support my studying financially."

"You're alone?"

She shakes her head. "Nope. My Uncle supports me but it's embarrassing that I have to depend my entire future on him so… the rest is history and I got this scholarship they are giving away into this school." She grinned at me. "What about you? I heard you're the highest ranking student here in Providence."

I shrugged casually but the action jarred up my wound. Good thing she was already looking down the books she got thus, she didn't catch me wincing. "I'm not." I whispered breathlessly. "The highest ranking student here is my best friend."

"It must have been nice to have a smart best friend." She said while looking down on a problem on the book. "I really hate this. Everything is complicated."

The words slipped out of my mouth before I could even stop them. "I could tutor you."

Misaki—God, her name sounded so good in my ears. I wondered why?—snapped her eyes at me and smiles such an affectionate one that nearly melted my entire system. "Thank you." She said. "I guess I'd schedule our tutor stuff once exam week entires, okay?"

I nodded. "Do whatever."

Misaki laughed again, and focuses on her problem. I continued to watch her while I pretended I was also doing something when she looked up at me again. "I just want to properly apologized for crashing against you a while ago. I'm so sorry."

Wow, she still minds that? I shrugged again. "It's nothing."

"I know but still," she trailed off and works on her assignment again. "—By the way. I'm Ayuzawa Misaki. What about you?"

I can be whatever you want me to be. "Usui Takumi." I accepted her hand and gently shake it since she looked rather breakable to me. "I'm really glad to have finally meet you." I added conveniently and tried to keep my amusement as I watched blood color her cheeks.

-;-

This was… :O

I don't know what to say. Tell me what you think, okay? Again, this is only a four to six chaptered story. I hope you like it—and thank you for reviewing on **Magic Eight Ball**. I hope you'd support **Providence** too.

Enjoy reading!

Please review!

—**Andy—**


	2. Chapter 2: Kismet

**Providence:**

-;-

At night when the stars light up my room

I sit by myself, talking to the moon.

Trying to get to you. In hopes that on the other side, you're talking to me too

Or am I a fool who sits alone, talking to the moon?

-;-

_**Unleash your imagination and let the words flow.**_

_**_ FFN & FP_**_

If there ever was a time that we cannot be together, put me in your heart and I'll stay there forever.

**Chapter Two:**

"So how's your date with your special woman?"

I ignored Kaon who was also on the same History such as I before transferring my eyes on Misaki who got out of the room along with Sakura—her friend. I didn't know she had History period with me until I saw her seating all by herself near the window staring out into nothing in particular. I was about to approach her but Kaon and Aoi appeared—and Shintani, another acquaintance and Kaon's cousin—that I was no longer able to get away from the until Sakura arrived while dragging some guy with her; a certain someone named Kuuga Sakurano. Until the period started and ended, I was no longer able to speak with her.

Kaon spoke again. "You seem interested on her, Jedwin."

I turned back to her. "Am I?" when she nodded, I shrugged. But then again, the ache on my shoulder bothered me. "Doesn't look that way to me." I told her. "I just think she's friendly. I like friendly people, I think." I got my bag and strapped it on my healthy shoulder. And she's mysterious, too. She exudes off that aura while I was speaking with her during our free period in the library.

"Takumi's really interested on Misaki, Kaon." Maria—who, again, wasn't supposed to be in our period—said loudly which pissed me off again. "He's been staring at her during Gym class and even stalked her during free period on the library."

"Maria?" I called out.

She grinned at me. "Hmm?"

"Shut up. Can you do that?"

She merely shrugged. "Hold your breath while I try." Aoi and Shintani laughed while Kaon and I remained as though someone died. Well, if Maria doesn't shut her mouth on the arriving second, I swear I'm going to kill her.

"No wonder she disappeared during our Lit. period." Kaon spoke again. "She was skipping."

"She didn't skip classes." I shot back at Kaon, my annoyance reaching its zenith since they are all so annoying and it's pissing me like crazy. "She went to Gym to hand over something to Hanazono." I hissed at her since their boisterousness and intrusiveness is getting into my last sane nerve. Half pissed, I gathered my things and stalked out of the room.

"What's his problem?" I even heard Shintani asked I don't know whom—and I could care less whom.

I shake my head and went towards the elevator and punched in the floor I was off to. When the elevator doors slide open, I stepped in without waiting for Kaon since she had Business Math with me.

.

"She's a Psychology student." Aoi placed down his books on the dining table and gave me a goofy grin. Shintani and Maki—another friend of mine—gave me their own versions of their mischievous grins. They have been persistent that I'm crushing on Ayuzawa Misaki thus, they decided to tease me whenever the topic about her is to be brought up.

I rolled my eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Ignorance is unbecoming of you, Takumi." Aoi said with that usually playful grin of his. "Why are you denying that you like her? Usually, when you're crushing on someone you'd go straight to the woman and ask her name? Why are you playing the coward Lion now?"

"Takumi doesn't usually do that because crushing on someone isn't his thing." Shintani said, matter-of-fact. "That's the reason why rumors about you being his lover spread around campus. Someone said they caught the two of you kissing."

I stared at Shintani in disgust. "Disgusting."

"I know, right?!" Aoi screamed. "Me?! Kissing Takumi? Me being his lover?! That's flippin' gross!"

I kicked him from underneath the dining table. "Shut up."

He winced. "If you were to become my lover, you're too cold. I'd instantly break up with you."

"You're disgusting."

"Whatever."

Maki laughed. He was a grade higher than us but since I was already taking advance placement subjects of Math and Science, he became another acquaintance. Maki Kanade is the son of the conglomerate owner of Kanade Dining. Like Aoi, and myself he also works undercover to protect his parents. "But really, crushing on someone must be so hard." He says. "Because for Takumi, liking someone is a first."

I snorted at him. "Don't jump into your own conclusions. I don't like that woman." I reached forward for a loaf of bread and wrote the answer to the test II problem on the advance Math level when I was reminded of Misaki Ayuzawa again. Without thinking, I laughed.

The others gazed at me in amusement. Aoi spoke first. "What's the matter?"

I pointed out the math equation and inwardly laughed again before they could even notice that I'm thinking about her again.

"But don't you think she's a bit too old-fashioned?" Shintani mumbled in between mouthfuls of rice.

I frowned at him, and removed the bits of rice coming from his full mouth that landed on my clothes and books. "Despite being old-fashioned, I think she's beautiful in her own way."

"Woo, Usui Takumi admitted it!"

Damn. That was such a wrong move. The three mouse-keteers laughed as they bump fists and gave each other a high five. And I mean, seriously? Who cares if I admitted that she's beautiful? "It's just a simple complement." I told them.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Shintani muttered while grinning idiotically.

"Ooh, what is this, Maria-sensei emailed me." Aoi said all of a sudden and started waving his iPhone on my face. I frowned at him and he ended up raising both his hands in resignation. "Fine. She told me that while she was doing the grocery, she caught some familiar face whom she considers as your first real crush."

I exhaled. "She should be careful of Maria."

Maki frowned. "Why?"

"As if you don't know that she likes women. Tell her to buy me some breadsticks." That and I abandoned my place on the dining and went straight to my bedroom before heading off straight to the floor-to-ceiling window to put on my safety harness and wordlessly jumped off my pad and down to the ground. The valet-in-waiting seemed startled at the sight of me but I merely nodded at him in acknowledgement. I release the harness as it got pulled back up to my pad before I started jogging towards the Central town where I hope I could still see her.

I checked out my wristwatch which reads 7:45 PM and started to think I wouldn't catch him anymore when a flashed of raven and light brown—always her hair—flickered on my peripheral view. I didn't really know the true reason why I came here. All I know is that there was this strong urge to see her after I found out that Maria is bugging around her.

I decided to roll my eyes. Who am I kidding? I want to see her, of course. That was the only acceptable reason. I wanted to see her. Period.

"Usui-kun?"

Automatically, I snapped out of my trance and looked up to the owner of the voice and saw her standing right in front of me. Looking so pale and tiny on her loose long sleeve sweater and pants, Andy stood before me carrying heavy plastics of groceries—proving Maria's email to Aoi to be the truth. Her hair was in a messy braid that rested on her right shoulder and probably due to the coldness of the night, blood colored her prominent cheeks.

Once again, the only thing that I could do is be tantalized by her innocent charm.

Misaki walked towards me with that playful grin plastered on her lips. "Why, good evening to you, Usui-kun. What are you doing here?"

I decided to avoid her questions in fear she'd realized that I actually came here for her. "What about you? What are you doing here?"

"Hm, I was about to go home." She pointed the groceries she was holding and looks back up at me; her beautiful amber orbs big and too innocent. "I'm to prepare dinner since Sakura and Kuuga-kun are going to visit me tonight." Suddenly, blood colored more of her skin she when she raised her head to meet my eyes. "I know I'm not someone whom you can call your acquaintance but, is it all right if I invite you to come join us for dinner?"

_Damn, why did she have to look so cute asking that? I've never met someone blushed easily by simply inviting someone for dinner. _"Wouldn't it be awkward on your friends and family?"

Instead, Misaki laughed. "Sakura and Kuuga-kun, they won't mind. And my parents," there was some recognizable emotion that flash with such fleetness in her amber eyes before she spoke again. "—I don't live with them so I guess they don't know count."

_What? She lives alone?_

I pointed out her groceries with a smug expression. "Need help with that?"

Again, she laughed. "Do I look breakable to you?" yet, even if she refused my offer, I was still the gentleman that I am so I wordlessly snatched the heavy grocery bags from her and arched an eyebrow at her as though I'm not interested on knowing every single thing about her. "So, where to?"

Finally, she gave that smile she only shows whenever she's with me. "My place."

_Damn, why did she sound so provocative when she said that?_

I followed her in silence as she blabbed on about chicken enchiladas and chocolate pudding while her free hand waved dismissively showing how much of an expressive person she was. She's probably the most expressive person I've ever met since she was using her hands and eyes and lips and shoulders and almost every part of her body in order to express what she was felling as of the moment. She was someone whom I consider utterly funny.

"—So, here we are."

I paused walking and was surprised to see that we are now standing in front of Ethereal Skyscraper, another of the many buildings and condominiums that my family owned. I followed her in shock inside the main lobby and swiftly shake my head to the receptionist who seemed as though she recognized me.

I walked beside her since she was walking too fast and elbows her. "You live in a hotel." It wasn't a question but rather a statement.

"Basically, yes." She proceeded to the elevator, pushed the button to the last floor which is the thirtieth before grinning back at me. "As you can see, my Uncle is a member of the board of directors of this hotel building. As of now, he was the person who stands as my legal guardian after my Mom and my sister died of an accident. He gave me the pad here when I couldn't find a place to stay after my arrival here."

I caught on the worst that bothered me the most. "No place to stay?"

"Well, after I got out of the hospital, my Dad's new family doesn't want me to live them because they think I'm still dangerous and all. I hope this wouldn't bother you but after Mom and my sister died, I got a little, you know, crazed." Blood colored her cheeks once again when she checked me out, measuring my reactions. She looked worried enough that I began to worry about her health too.

So, I decided to play dumb, "What kind of crap are you talking about? Who cares if you're hospitalized? You're in good health now are you not?"

My heart swelled when she beamed with such enthusiasm. "Yes. I'm in good health now, thank you." She laughed almost affectionately; as if I've said mattered massively to her. As if whatever it is that I'd say is something of importance to her. I shake my head before I could even stray away from sanity. She went on with her story again. "So, they didn't allow me inside the house because they fear that I wasn't in good health yet. Instead, I asked my Mom's relative to take me but they couldn't too since there weren't any space for me in their houses. I never really wanted to burden Dad so I told him that I could rent a small apartment while doing part time job but then, my Uncle learned of my situation so he took me in. Now, here I am, living in this mansion like establishment. But of course, I don't want to burden any of them with my financial needs that's why I decided to work part time."

The elevator door pinged open and she smiled at me before walking out of the elevator while getting her unit keys inside the pocket of her tight-fitting jeans.

She's so small and tiny… and she already lost everything.

She placed down her groceries in the carpeted floor, inserted the key into the knob before twisting the latch and pushed the door open for me to have a view of her neat and in order apartment. "So," she said while grinning childishly at me. "—this is it."

.

"Takumi, I heard you went home late yesterday. Why is that?"

I ran a hand through my already disheveled hair and risk a glance on the clock before I yawned. It didn't matter that I was still sleepy. All I know is that last night; I had lots of fun enjoying Misaki's company. Like me, she was also the daughter of the woman her father was having an illegal affair with. But her mom died when she found out that she was nothing but a mistress thus resulting to an unfortunate car accident back when they were in Hokkaido. Her father wanted her to live with them but the legal wife wanted her out. And so, her Uncle—the brother of her dad—came and asked her to live with him instead. But she was so considerate that she refused because she didn't want the sons of her Uncle to share a room to make room for her arrival.

Thus, it resulted to her living in Ethereal Skyscraper. As obvious as it were, she wasn't in good terms with her stepsisters and stepmom and it lead to her being maltreated right after her hospitalization. It was already a good thing her Uncle arrived to take her away or her mental health might have worsened. Again, she was a very expressive expression. Whenever she's telling me stories about her Mum and sister, she'd always have this goofy grin plastered on her lips as though that memory was playing live before her eyes. It was funny to watch and I couldn't help but be amazed at how easy-to-read she could get. Her interest includes writing and reading and anything that has to do with Literature. She loves sweet foods too and she has a thing on baking even if she wasn't such a good cook.

I prove that kind of thought when she tried baking English muffins and ended up burning it all.

It would already have been a great night until Sakura and Kuuga arrived. They were her best friends ever since she was eight. They stuck with her on every challenge that arrived in her life and even told me that they were present during the accident of her Mum that lead to her immediate death along with her little sister. She told me that once we have the time, she'd introduced me her to Mum and sister who was buried in a private lot her Dad had specifically bought for them about twenty miles off the main town of Tokyo.

And much to my surprise, I seemed to have looked forward it so badly.

Nighttime had arrived and since it would look really improper for me to stay late at a woman's house, I decided to finally set home even if my system insists me to stay so I could be there for her. She volunteered to send me home and when it was finally time to say goodbye, she smiled at me and said, "Be careful on your way back home, Usui-kun." Of course, I told her already that she could call me on my first name. Instead, blood colored her cheeks before she answered a, "Well, be careful on your way back… Takumi."

And that was the first time my name sounded so good in my own hearing. It's like she made it sound so magical and… and full of affection—

"Takumi, when someone asks you a question, it's common courtesy to provide a response."

I darted a quick glance over Satsuki, my adoptive mother who looks after me while I'm staying here in Japan, before taking a swift swig on my English tea. "Pardon me, Satsuki-sama, what was your question again?"

She arched an eyebrow at me in amusement. "Hm, this is such a rare day that you get absentminded. Is it because of that woman?"

My forehead creased. "That woman?" I asked back. "Who do you mean by that?"

"Aoi said—"

"Ah, that bastard Aoi." I interrupted her since she was beginning our morning by reprimanding me. "She's just a friend, Mom." I informed since it looked as though that question won't be going away for some time starting now. "A new… friend. We're not romantically involved with each other."

"My, my, why so defensive, my dear child?" I looked at her as if she had grown her second head. She sighed. "Fine. Fine, I was just worried at you, that's all. I don't want you involving yourself with some… situations," I snorted at her choice of words, which she ignored sharply. "—That you cant handle once responsibility comes haunting you in the near future." She hit my head with the mitten on her hand. "Listen to me when I'm speaking."

"And God knows I hate it when people speak nonsense." She frowned. I grinned at her. "Stop being a worry-wart, _Mom_." I put emphasis on the last word since whenever I'm reminding her how much I like her to be my Mom, it melts her maternal heart. "I can handle all these." _I can handle her, in the least. _Standing up since I'm done with my breakfast, I walked forward her and kissed her on the forehead. "Stop worrying about me. You know I hate it when you do that."

Satsuki exhaled through her nostrils. "I just want you to be happy, Takumi. Ever since the Walkers announced that you are to be the legal heir of their legacy, it felt as though they've been caging you."

"Stop thinking about it."

"Fine. You should get going now."

I acknowledgement that I'm being dismissed before I kissed her on the forehead again, got my bag from the floor and made my way towards the lot where the car awaits me. I settled inside, my thoughts bringing me to no one but to a female with tantalizing amber eyes and rich raven hair. My thoughts dragged me back to how… outstanding last night was when she told me every story about her that keeps my interest unappeasable to get to know her.

She lives all by herself in that huge apartment of hers apart when Sakura and that Kuuga guy come around to visit her. She told me about her Mom and sister, and how heartbroken her Mom was when she found out that she was nothing but a mistress and how that kind of challenge made her Mom drove herself to death. She looked lonely, that was obvious. But whenever she'd realized I could notice the sadness embedded on her alluring voice, she'd suddenly laugh and would wave a hand in dismiss as if she was trying to cover away her sadness with her enticing laughter.

And without thinking, I laughed.

The driver glanced at me from the rearview mirror before the sides of his eyes wrinkled since he had smiled too. "May I know what caused you to laugh, Young Master?"

I composed my face again and stares out into the background outside. "Someone who has got me so interested on her."

"Hm, that's very rare. The ingenuity of woman, don't you think?"

I nodded, and quickly ended the conversation by putting my earphones off when a flash of raven—always her hair—caught my attention. I snapped my head back, checking back whether it was really she before I turned back to the old driver. "Stop the car, Seiji."

Abruptly, Seiji pulled on to a smooth stop.

I didn't know what hit me because I suddenly felt as though I was looking forward to seeing her again as I got off the safety confines of the car. I watched her ran while braiding her long raven hair and balancing her bag that was slung across her chest and thought of ways of how I'm to greet her. She looked obviously as though she was in haste and when I risked a glance on my wristwatch; I wondered why she was such in a hurry when classes aren't beginning yet. But then again, it was the habitual latecomer speaking.

"Ayuzawa." I said when she was just a few footsteps from me.

Her forehead was creasing when she look up and at the sight of me, she beamed. The reaction made my heart thud louder because I felt the annoying and confusing organ beating rather confusingly fast. "Oh, Takumi-kun, good morning." She brushed bangs off her face and I thought she looked so refreshed doing that. "You're early."

"You looked like you're running late."

"Oh, but I am." She adjusted the strap of her bag and turns back to me again. "I'm working as student assistant by morning. I'm currently running late on my six AM piano lessons."

Good thing I came in early today. "Wanna ride with me?"

She suddenly looked embarrassed. "Pardon?"

I pointed out the waiting car before us and smiled at her. "Come, I'll drive you to Providence."

"Er… is that all right with you?"

I rolled my eyes. "Please." I held her by the arm and pulled her towards the car before opening the door for her. "Get in." she blushed once again and I wondered what she was so embarrassed about as she entered the car.

She lowered her head down to Seiji. "Good morning, Sir. Sorry for bothering you early in the morning."

Seiji laughed and darted a quick glance on me before laughing. "It's no problem, dear."

"Let's go." I said as he sped off. I turned back to Ayuzawa during the drive. "So, you play the piano." I started some casual conversation. "I didn't know that. You didn't mention that, either."

Ayuzawa laughed, and it was the kind of laughter that reverberated all throughout the car. I thought I was even hearing bells ringing as she laughed. "Well, it's kind of a secret hobby. But if you have nothing to do this morning—you know, duties—you can come with me to the elementary department and listen to kids—and me—play the piano and different other classical instruments."

"I'll come with you." _I'll come with you wherever you want_. I ignored Seiji when he cleared his throat as if to suppress his laugher and focused my entire attention on Misaki. It's as if with her presence around, my attention cannot be divided. "I don't have any morning duties today."

She smiled that smile I was so accustomed to seeing. "Okay. That's a plan." She babbled about classical instruments again and how good it felt playing it and the only thing I could is listen to her. She was funny and well, I don't mind listening to her the entire moment since the world just seems so uncomplicated whenever she speaks. I like her and well, she's already someone whom I could consider as a close friend—but somehow, that tasted a little wrong in my mouth.

When the car entered the vicinity of the Academy, I got out and aided her out. Once again, she laughed. "Do you think I am that breakable?"

"Weren't you?" I mumbled under my breath.

She quirked an eyebrow at me. "What was that?"

I flicked her on the forehead. "Nothing. Come on." As if on instinct, I wrapped her tiny wrist with my huge hand and pulled her with me to the sky bridge that connects the college department into the high school area. We passed by a few more hallways until we reached the floor that leads to the preschool sector. As soon as we entered, preschoolers suddenly rushed towards Ayuzawa and flocked around her.

"Ayuzawa-sensei!" they screamed in unison while holding music sheets in their hands. "Help me play the piano."

"Accompany me in my violin lesson, sensei!"

"No, sensei is mine!"

"No, she's mine!"

Ayuzawa laughed as she tried to settle down the children who are already playing tug of war with her as the rope. "Settle down, kids. I haven't introduced you my friend yet." Eyes were suddenly on me. Once again, Ayuzawa laughed. "Kids, I want to introduce to all of you my friend, Usui Takumi. I've invited him to come and listen to us play every single music we are to play. Is that a good thing?"

"Hai, sensei!" they all said in unison.

Ayuzawa beamed. "Good. Now, come on everyone and let's play the instrumental version of Can't Stop from that program in the television you all love to watch."

"Hai, sensei."

Turning back to me, Ayuzawa beamed. "What about you? What kind of instrument do you play?"

.

"Here."

I snapped my head back at Misaki and accepted the canned Coke she handed to me before opening it to take small sips. She sat next to me as we watch the children run around the playground while we sat together in a nearby bench to watch over the kids; waiting for their official professor in charge.

She playfully elbowed me. "I hope I didn't bore you today."

Of course she didn't. Why would she bore me when it is only in her company that I was able to find absolute cessation of hostility? I looked back up at the background and took note of the two of us seated in the park bench together. Without feeling anything complicated, I could sit around here with her and still find her interesting even if she wasn't speaking sensible or nonsense stuff.

I turned back to her and sighed. "Today was a very interesting day." I was finally able to say. "I didn't know you played quite well. Who taught you to play the piano?"

"My Mom." She answered me with a smile on her face while looking out to the clouds. "I never really like the piano. But she like it so much that I just couldn't oblige myself to refused her. I wanted to please my Mom so much that's why I went on with playing the piano."

I eyed her. "You must have loved your Mom so much."

"You're right about that." She huffed breathlessly. "Did you really enjoy our activity today?"

I'd enjoy any moment so long as I'm with you. "Yes. Thank you for inviting me to listen to the kids play those instruments. When the annual Charity ball come around, I'd tell the Director to provide a number for them so they could participate on the event."

Ayuzawa smiled at me enthusiastically. "That sounds like a plan."

"A plan, indeed." I agreed with. When she raised her pinky finger, my forehead creased in confusion. "What was that all about?"

"Pinky swear to make sure we fulfill that promise." She waved her pinky finger in front of my face before grinning idiotically at me. "I'm sure the kids will be happy once they find out about it."

I stared at her waiting finger before my body moved on its own and intercepted with her actions. "Scout's promise." She giggled again before she stands, her skirt fluttering prettily against her thighs that shows a bit of her flesh. The wind blew on her hair that softly caressed her ethereal face before she hold out one hand to me. I accepted it and in time, she pulled me up and dragged me towards the playground.

When… since when did my heart started to beat this way whenever she's around?

.

"Spit it out."

Aoi laughed at me before flicking the bottle towards my direction with which I swiftly avoided. He even elbowed Shintani before grinning mischievously at me. "We saw that."

I decided to feign ignorance, until a flash of raven and dark brown—always her hair—flickered on my peripheral vision that my eyes automatically followed the owner. With books held close to her chest, I watched as Ayuzawa Misaki run across the room and into a table where Sakura and Kuuga awaits her. She smiled as she placed down her books and went on into an easy conversation with them.

"Hello, earth-to-Usui Takumi." Aoi spattered while I was too preoccupied watching the woman who was able to catch my entire affection. I glared back at him. "What do you want?" I asked in obvious annoyance.

Aoi merely laughed. "You like her."

"I like her who?"

"Ayuzawa," he put emphasis on her surname. "—Misaki."

I snorted at him. "I don't like her." I denied. Not yet, in the least. What I actually feel is that I wanted to stay by her side and not leave her lest she pushed me away.

"You shouldn't really like her, Takumi." Kaon, who appeared out of nowhere, suddenly said. "That girl has a bad reputation. Didn't you know that her Mom is actually the mistress of the leader of the Ayuzawa zaibatsu? She had such humiliating and dirty child birth secrets." She fished out something from her bag—a stack of papers compiled in a dark blue folder and slammed it on the table before me. "That woman is the daughter of the person whom his father is having an illegal affair with."

"Kaon," I said threateningly. "—I'm giving you one minute to get these papers back and burn them."

But she just went on. "Why should I? You should know that befriending someone like her has complicacies—isn't it that you hated to make things complicated? She's the epitome of humiliation and complication, Takumi. You shouldn't—"

"Shut," I stood up and loomed over her; anger was very much present on my eyes as it burned through Kaon. "—Up. Do you understand it?"

Kaon's mouth drop open. "What—but why? I was only thinking about your sake."

I glared at her. "By badmouthing the woman I like, it's as though you badmouth me already." I got the papers, removed it from being compiled in the folder before throwing it on her. "Pick it up and burn it. That's an order." I gathered my bags, ignoring the eyes of people on us before checking out on Ayuzawa who seemed to have heard Kaon and I's disagreement. She had that sad look in her beautiful amber orbs that made my heart skip painfully. I walked towards her, my eyes focused only on her and completely disregarding the others, before I stretched my hand out and pulled her up to me. "Come with me."

Blood colored her cheeks and embarrassedly, she darted anxious glances around us. "Er… where?"

We could go to anywhere you want to go… "Wherever you want."

"We could go to anywhere you want to go,"

—and I would still follow you.

"And I would still follow you."

I didn't know what hit me since she just voiced out what was going on inside my head that I couldn't help but give her a smile that can only be seen on my face when she's around. "Come on. I'll bring you somewhere." Somewhere where I can see that beautiful smile on your beautiful face.

.

I watched as the wind blew on Misaki's hair and gently caressed the pale complexion that was her prominent cheeks. She smiled at me and run forward, the tall grasses stoking her smooth thighs as we went deeper into the grassland that would eventually lead us to a nearby and local beach. She ran off ahead of me while laughter bubbled out of her throat over the joke I recently told her before she bent forward to acknowledge the importance of a wild flower and glances up at me.

"You're so slow." She commented playfully before ushering me with her hand and continues off with the slow running. "For someone so tall, you sure are slow-witted."

I snorted at her. "Slow-witted doesn't have any connection whatever with being tall." I answered and took long and powerful strides until I was standing right before her. I craned an eyebrow. "What were you saying again?"

Misaki laughed. "Dork." She spun around, meaning to run off ahead again but I swiftly caught her by the elbow and shakes my head. Her forehead creased. "What is it?"

"Don't run away from me."

She laughed again. "Fear you'd get lost?"

_I fear that when I lost sight of you, you'd suddenly disappear in my life like a bubble in the ocean. _"You might trip."

"I'm not an idiot—oof!" I was instantly alarmed when she—indeed—trip while walking backwards. I help her up since she was able to escape my firm grip before dusting dirt off her knees and legs.

I glared up at her. "Idiot. You should pay attention more on your surroundings."

"Why should I when you're already around to pay attention for me."

"I can't be around you forever." _Even if I want to_.

Her frown made my heart skip a beat. "You're leaving me?"

_That's the fact, I don't want to_. "No, I was merely kidding."

She beamed before she turn her back on me again and continued off walking ahead—always ahead—while her raven hair was dancing wildly in synchronization with the wind. When she heard the sound of waves crashing against one another, she turned back to me and smiled widely. "Takumi-kun, the ocean."

Ocean… a visualized image of limitless and borderless freedom.

I watched her as she run forward and stop midway to undo her shoes before running towards the waves. By heart melted by the sight and I wondered how long this kind of happiness will last until reality comes chasing us again until we tire. Both of us are very much alike with the familial stuff, we're both the outcome of an illegal affair. But I could surely handle my demons. What I worry about is her. Surely, she had heard the gist of Kaon and I's disagreement, and I'm quite certain that it had bothered her.

What should I do now to comfort her?

"Did you know that my mother loved the ocean? I remembered her telling me that when she gave birth to me, she and Dad are on a vacation at a beach house." I snapped my eyes back at her and watched her as she walked forward me and sat next to me on the sands. "She loved it so much that she thought of building a house near the ocean, but Dad, of course, refused because it will be too dangerous come storm days."

I nodded. "I see. You're Mom is as reckless as you."

Once again, she huffed a breathless laugh. "I guess that's the reason why she fell in love with a married man." My face turned serious, and when she saw that, she stretched the corners of my lips to form and coerced smile. "Come on, now, it isn't like we're strangers. We're friends now, aren't we?"

I leaned away and continued frowning at her. "In a span of two days, yes."

"That means we're no longer strangers."

I rolled my eyes. "Obviously."

She smiled idiotically at me. "I'm happy that you were able to understand me, Takumi-kun. I'm quite thankful that God gave me you for a friend."

We could be more than that if you want—wait, where did that come from?

"Thank you." And with that she laid her head on my shoulders and sighed. "Thank you for bringing me in this place. You don't know how much you were able to comfort me by bringing me here after that scene in the cafeteria."

I remained silent… deeply focused on the harsh and confusingly fast beating of my heart.

.

Chapter 2 done!

By the way, to answer some of your question, Blue Mirage—becoming Amber Mirage soon—isn't yet becoming a story lest Heiress finally reaches it's denouement. What I've posted two years back is nothing but sort of a preview of the story's précis. I hope you understand. Heiress is a very strenuous novel and I'm using up all of my imagination to finish that story so I wouldn't be able to finish BM first.

Thank you.

By the way, what do you think? Does this chapter lack romance? Because you know what, I don't think it does. (Laughs). Anyways, I hope you like this and thank you for reviewing on the first chapter.

And as always, do tell me what you think.

Hit the button now. :D

_Andy


	3. Chapter 3: Destiny

**Providence:**

-;-

At night when the stars light up my room

I sit by myself, talking to the moon.

Trying to get to you. In hopes that on the other side, you're talking to me too

Or am I a fool who sits alone, talking to the moon?

-;-

_**Unleash your imagination and let the words flow.**_

_**_ FFN & FP_**_

If there ever was a time that we cannot be together, put me in your heart and I'll stay there forever.

**Chapter Three:**

Come September, the annual Charity Ball became the talked of everybody's student in Providence Academy. The final examination storm had recently passed by and students could now lax studying since semester break is casually roaming around the corner. Instead, male students are now busy asking girls for the Charity ball while people of the female populace are busy preparing for the ball and if not, finding the chance to feel up my behind.

It has been nearly five months ever since I met Ayuzawa Misaki and well, our friendship was off to a good start. There was once a time that I invited her out to a museum and then we headed off to an amusement park soon after. She was a funny person and she could ride extreme rides while screaming her guts out during the ride, itself. I've never been able to feel so good after such a tiring event.

I walked towards the library with long strides, planting my things down to the library table before opening my textbook to a specified page and starts tapping my mechanical pencil on the leaf of the book while thinking about the formula of the equation when the person I've been waiting for to arrived finally came and took the reserved seat—for her—in front of me. Misaki, with strands of hair coming off her messy bun—came storming towards me with that apologetic smile on her face.

"Sorry, have you been waiting long?" she asked while pulling out her thick textbooks and after she's done with everything, she exhaled as though she looked so tired. "It was so hard getting past the busy streets of cafeteria without receiving an elbow—or a book—in the face."

My eyes narrowed when she said that. "Pardon?"

She looked up, startled before laughing. "Kidding. Anyway, have you been waiting long?"

My eyes were still narrowed as I glared at her. "Not much. I've just arrived myself." I shut my own book closed before placing a hand underneath my jaw and grinned at her. "So, shall we start studying now?"

She blinked before she leaned away and nodded absentmindedly. "Er… sure."

My forehead creased. "What's wrong?"

She thought about something for a few minutes first before she exhaled and opens her English textbook, which she sucked at. "The truth?" at my nod, blood suddenly colored her cheeks and I was instantly confused of what she's embarrassed about. She sighed, and after a full minute of relaxing herself, Misaki stared up at me and grinned in embarrassment. "I think you just dazzled me more when you do that."

I froze for about fifteen seconds before the right reaction finally dawned on me. I leaned forward again and scowled at her. "I dazzle you?"

"Yes. Because you see, you look really beautiful in my eyes."

I frowned even more. "That doesn't sound so good hearing it from you." I leaned back on the backrest of the wooden chair again and glares at her. "I'm not beautiful, or dazzling even more of that very same matter." When she beamed, I leaned forward to forehead flicked her. "Stop acting like an ass."

"Hai, Takumi-kun."

"Hurry up and get your materials ready. Let's continue studying your weakest point."

.

After we're done with studying, I send her off to her next class since I recently found out that the only class we've shared is nothing but History. People stared at us and I made sure she was within my safety zone so people wouldn't give her the routinely elbow or book on ta face. When we reach her classroom, I sent her off with a frown since she keeps on grinning at me like crazy.

But before I could do as much as step into the lift to get to my respective room, my phone vibrated from my pockets. I checked it out, taking note of the incoming call, which came from my Aoi. Gingerly, I answered the call. "What is it?" I asked.

"Cancel your date with her today, lover boy." He said, and from the background, I could clearly hear Maki and Shintani laughing over what he said. "We've got mission tonight."

I nodded as though he could see. "I understand." And with that, before he could even say anything, I hung up.

.

The advent of the cold winter wind brushed through the expose skin of my neck as I jumped through the window and disabled all security systems of the said building Aoi and I are to infiltrate. I look around cautiously, before I broke in to the breaker and switched the security off—the lights included—until Aoi jumped through too and landed like a graceful feline before me. He adjusted his metallic blue cat mask that covered half of his face before looking around and pressing something—a mini microphone—that was attached to the collar of the shirt he was wearing.

"Disability level completed. Copy?" he nodded. "Roger, that." At his acknowledgement, we made our way through the building guided by the high-profile night vision light attached to our masks. We turned left and into the stairs before we made our way towards the specified room where we are to steal another CD that would led us to ascertaining the future leader of the Black Organization that deals with all underground anomalies that could bring Ethereal Corp. down to shambles.

As soon as we reached the Information Room, I swiftly and professionally opened it while Aoi rushed through the stack of files that we are to need.

"Five minutes until the breaker gets switched on." Maki informed us through the other end of the line. "Three minutes until the civilian and uniformed guards come surveying the floors."

I helped Aoi too and jammed up a desk drawer that was locked securely until my eyes caught on something—a name—that was familiar. I took it and started scanning through the files when Maki spoke again.

"Two minutes." He said.

What in the world is Ayuzawa's personal information doing here? "Aoi, hurry up." I placed the papers inside my thick leather jacket, securing it inside my safety confines when I nonetheless, grab a CD that has a title BLACK ORG. before pulling AOi up since he failed on searching and dragged him with me to the exit when a civilian guard came face-to-face with us. Aoi froze—all three of us seemed to have frozen—before I finally regained reactions and wordlessly, I hit the guard by the neck before he could even scream out help. I throw in a small explosive inside the IR and ran after Aoi.

"Hurry." I told him, my blood boiling angrily over what I've discovered as Aoi and I made a mad dash and through the window we've entered from before I rode the big black bike I brought with me and sped off in full throttle while Aoi got inside the car that sped off too as if hell was after us.

After what seemed like two seconds, the third floor of the entire building exploded.

I clench my fist tightly on the handlebars of the bike as I switch on the microphone attacked on my collar to answer the incoming call. "What is it?" I asked angrily.

"Takumi, where are you off too? The CD's with you." It was Maki.

I exhaled through my nose. "Don't follow me anymore. I'd give the CD to Satsuki tomorrow." I say. "Don't come into my flat too or else." He was to protest more but I switched off the mic already and removed it before throwing it on a nearby river I've passed by as I drove.

I drove past the quiet city and into my pad before I got to a lift that brought me back to my room. As soon as I was inside, I work on the things that I should worked on and started scanning through Ayuzawa Misaki's confidential personal information. The first thing that I caught on was her hospitalization a year back to the past. The information stated about her controversial familial matters and the way she had lived after she got out of the hospital she was locked in to. And as of now, it was stated she was currently attending Providence Academy—which is true—and that she lives in a hotel that was a sister company to the Ethereal Corporation—the company owned by people from the Walker house.

I clenched my fist, mad because she was being researched before flipping through pages of her profile. I scanned both important and unimportant facts until I caught on something that made me feel confusingly rage. Thoughtlessly, I read it aloud. "A future candidate to be married to the Igarashi zaibatsu." Igarashi zaibatsu? Why does it sounded so familiar? Igarashi… Igarashi… Igarashi Tora, that was the future ringleader of the powerful Igarashi clan, wasn't he?

If Misaki were the outcome of a forbidden and illegal affair, why would the Igarashi clan tolerate the leader to be wedded with someone with such absurd birth secrets?

It isn't like I'm downgrading her… it's just impossible for it to happen especially if the other party is a woman. Normally, discriminations would instantly rise. What in the world is happening?

I flipped through the page again and was stunned to see that my name made it to the list of people who are options to be married to her. My heart skipped a beat again and it thoroughly annoyed me because it was acting weird. In fact, I shouldn't be feeling this way towards her. We've got no future together because we're both outcomes of an illegal and scandalous affair… so why does it feel as though I wanted to own her so much? Why does every time she's around, I deeply despise it when people from the male populace pays attention to her?

It was despicable… and bothersome… and definitely confusing.

I set the papers aside but the wind coming from the A/C unit blew off some of the papers. I swiftly gather it all and was about to reorder it when I caught on something I wouldn't have seen if the papers hadn't flew off. Because she was gaining allies and acquaintances—strong alliances with our family and the others—there was a plan to cut off immediately her legacy.

I read aloud the notes printed on the paper. "Plan to Assassinate Ayuzawa Misaki."

.

"Weird people?" Misaki asked as we walked side by side towards our History period. At my acknowledgement, she merely shrugged and clutch her History book closer to her chest. "Not really, no. I'm not noticing anything. Why?"

I looked away, distractedly thinking that her headband actually suites her quite well, before shoving my hands on the pockets of my dark-washed jeans. "Nothing."

She laughed a melodious laugh that sounded as though they were church bells ringing. "You weren't speaking about potential stalkers weren't you?"

I frowned at her. "Actually, I am."

"Like seriously?"

I nodded once, my jaw firm. "Yes."

"How did you get these weird and paranoid?" she asked me. "I'm not popular, okay? There isn't any reason to stalk me. I think people tend to shy away from me once hearing my name—and my birth secrets. They think befriending me would give them public disturbance and humiliation."

The words came out expected and natural—as if my entire system already know what to say to make her feel better. "I don't think that way."

She paused for a full minute before she revealed a shy smile for me. "That much I know of." She said before looking away.

I looked away too and unconsciously scratch my head since what I've said is nothing but a slip of the tongue. I looked away, thinking about other things as we get near the classroom. But before we could enter, she face me and lower down her head. "Thank you for being with me." that and she surprised me by suddenly leaning forward and placed a chaste peck on my cheek. Stunned, I froze on spot while she quickly got inside the room and took a chair near the windows before engaging in an enthusiastic conversation with Hanazono and *Sakurai. I didn't know why I felt so happy, so I went inside the room too and took my respective seat, ignoring Aoi and Shintani as they grinned like an idiot before me.

"We saw thaaaat." Aoi sing-songed while still grinning. "So you have a relationship now, huh?"

I hate it when these people see stuff they shouldn't see. "'We're not."

"You mean, not yet." I ignored him. Aoi spoke again even after ignoring him. "By the way, what's up with you last night? You looked as though you were in a bad mood." He punched me on my healthy arm before frowning. "And you haven't make up with Kaon yet. Why are you two fighting anyway?"

Shintani, while eating a banana—that monkey dork—laughed at us. "Isn't it obvious? Because I think, Kaon actually likes Takumi."

I glared at him. "She doesn't like me. How could you all think about Kaon that way? We're nothing but friends."

Instead, Aoi laughed that playfully cruel laugh of his. "Ooh. Ouch. I'm gonna send apology flowers to Kaon once you rejected her for Ayuzawa-chan."

"Shut up, Aoi."

"Why should I? I think you and Misa-chan fit together." He shrugged, not caring whether students near us are already hearing him. "She looks like the fragile type that needed to be looked after. Look at her," and when I did, he went on to describing her. "—Don't you think she's the type of woman who gets into trouble because she attacks danger like magnet? I heard she had really embarrassing birth secrets—"

I glared at Aoi angrily. "Aoi, shut up, will you?"

He shot back easily at me. "Why, I was only stating a fact about your precious friend. What are you so mad about, seriously? Everyone's talking about it. Everybody dislikes her that's why I think you should pay more attention to her—"

"I don't need you to tell me things I already know." I said in annoyance, somehow startled over my sudden boldness when it comes to matters about her. I looked on her direction, watching as her raven and brown hair caressed every skin her uniform exposes.

_Why do I love watching you so much?_

"Earth-to-Takumi."

"Shut up."

"Seriously, man," Shintani says. "—Don't stare too much. She might melt."

_I don't think that's the problem as of the moment, Shintani. Because I think, it was her who starts melting every layer of ice I've established to protect my nearly emaciated heart._

_._

I walked past the quiet corridors of Providence while thinking about Kaon in silence. With all honesty, Aoi's previous statements about Kaon liking me actually bothered me so much. She wasn't supposed to be like that. She wasn't supposed to feel this way because we're friends. And even if our families are setting us up, still, she wasn't supposed to accommodate with their venal entreaties. I'm the consequence of a forbidden involvement; someone out there is more appropriate for someone like her.

And besides, I don't think I'm capable of giving her that kind of love.

_Not when I already hold someone dear to my heart. _I froze when those words echoed inside my head and thoughtlessly; I looked around, watching if someone had whispered them to my ears. There was no one. With a shake of my head, I continued walking on and thought about things I should say to Kaon if there ever was a chance she'd really confess to—

"—You sure have guts hanging out so boldly like that to our Takumi-sama." I paused walking and secretly searched for the origin of the conversation until I ended up by the near end of the corridor in time to see Ayuzawa Misaki being herded by three females. I was about to go out and confront them when someone tugged hard on my sleeve and with a frown on my face; I snapped my heard towards that person who had the guts to actually touch me.

Instead, I saw Hanazono Sakura. She shakes her head at me as if she already knew that I'm to aid Ayuzawa. "Don't." she said this using a tone that I couldn't defy. "If you help her, then all the more that she would be bothered by her situation. Your friendship with her is enough as her burden. Don't add more rumors that could completely ruin her sanity."

My forehead creased in annoyance. "Excuse me? Are you telling me that—"

"Yes." She interrupted me. "I'm telling you that being friends with her actually bothers her. People talk and she doesn't want you to get involved with her what with all the negative rumors surrounding her." Is shake her hand off but she didn't seem fazed by my action. "Leave her alone for a moment, Usui Takumi. Surely, you have some secrets you never wanted others to find out."

What the—

"Just let her be for a moment." I stared down at her for three more seconds before averting my gaze back to Ayuzawa and the flock of girls who were flocking around her. And honestly, it had bothered me knowing she was getting in trouble because of me.

"Speak!" one of the females said. "Why do you hang out with Takumi-sama as though you've known him long enough? Weren't you just a stupid transfer student?"

"I am not stupid—"

"Yes, you are." My entire system tensed when one of the females shove her against the wall. Her face scrunch as if it hurt her before she gathered herself again and stared at the four women blocking her way. "You are stupid," one of them whispered to the said woman before she turned to her and said, "—like your dead mother and sister."

Ayuzawa froze and glared at the woman before her. "Take back what you said."

"Why should I?" 

"Because I'll hit you if you refused to do as I say."

"Ooh. Scary—owch!" I gasped too, and I couldn't help but hide along with the chuckling Hanazono when, wordlessly, Ayuzawa hit the woman square in the face. "Why did you do that?!" she shot back almost automatically.

That was when reality finally dawned on Ayuzawa. But she contained her angry disposition and looked away. "Don't bring up my mother again." she said and starts walking away. Hanazono scurried away and I have no choice but to follow her since she thinks leaving Misaki alone as of the moment is the best thing. We hid behind one one the huge pillars of the hall and I swear as Ayuzawa Misaki walked away, she wipe tears streaming off her eyes.

My heart went all out for her. And then I realized, when did my stupid heart started beating for the woman who had the same fate as I am?

.

"Takumi, what are you doing here?"

I stared at Misaki who finally appeared in her flat and watched her as she walked towards my direction and fished out her pad keys to unlock the door. In my eyes, she honestly looked beautiful, and I wondered if it was a good thing or not that I find her absolutely stunning even if she was wearing such a sorrowful expression. In fact, she looked as though she didn't really want to deal with me as of the moment. But I'm not going to allow her to drown herself in heartbreak. I've suffered many things too, and I know the feeling of being labeled as a bastard.

_I'm not going to let you feel those heartbreaking emotions, Ayuzawa Misaki._

"Can we talk?" I asked her.

She scratches the back of her head and widens the opening of her door. "Er… sure. Come on in." I allowed her inside first before I got in too and closes the door for her. She spun around to face me, her lips slightly open, and that odd feeling of kissing her suddenly bubbled out of my thoughts and entire system. "Can I offer you anything?" 

I snorted at her and spins her around—before I lose control of myself—and grabs her slender shoulders before ushering her down to the couch. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

Misaki laughed, and it was the kind of laughter that melted another layer of ice around my heart. _Go on, laugh more, and make me enthrall on every part and piece of you. _"I've been repeatedly told the same thing so I guess that much I know of." She went to the kitchen and I followed her. "They are always comparing me with Mom. Of course, I don't mind it. But by doing so, they are losing sight of my true identity. Mom and Suzuna left me… I've always been all by myself. That's why I was wondering why do they keep on thinking that I'd do the same thing as Mom?"

I stared at her. "I don't."

Looking up at me, she smiled. "That much I know of too." She handed me the juice she made for me and started laughing. "That's why aside from Sakura and Kuuga-kun, I'm already thinking of you as one of my best friends."

_Oh, great. I'm promoted to the Best Friend Level._ It's going to be hard persuading her if she thinks that way about me. I looked away and bit back a violent curse.

Ayuzawa laughed again. "What was that?"

I rolled my eyes. "Nothing." I said. "I saw you awhile ago."

Her forehead creased. "Really? Is it your inner stalker talking or everything is just by coincidence?" I glared at her instead and she started laughing. "You know it's funny." I remained silent. She spoke again. "So, where have you seen me by coincidence?"

_It wasn't purely coincidental. It was fate_. "At the corridor where three females are flocking around you."

She froze, as if she didn't know how to react exactly before she looked away and placed a hand underneath her jaw. Her usually enthusiastic amber eyes turned fifty shades colder. "You saw that, huh?" her voice turned icy cold too and I instantly knew I step on a landmine. But she was suffering, and I'm not going to let her feel down all by herself—not when she already treats me as her best friend.

"You know that I never think of you the way others does."

Her gaze nearly made me shiver. "Why? Why are you so kind to me? Didn't you know that by treating me this way, I'd continually think that more people like you still exists? I don't want to hope anymore, Takumi. My own family left me. I was the outcome of an illegal—not to mention immoral—affair. I remembered telling you that. So, why are you being extra nice to me? You can't be like this forever—"

I didn't know what hit me because next thing I know, while she was talking her thoughts out, I was walking towards her and ended up pulling her face towards me so I could kiss her. Misaki's lips were probably the softest lips I've ever touched. I got a few kisses back when I was still a high-schooler but those were the kind of kisses that my classmate stole from me—they jump on me, to conclude things. I didn't exactly know how she would find the kiss because for me, it was the most perfect thing I've ever experienced—but then again, it was the guy who hasn't have a proper kiss speaking. And technically, Ayuzawa Misaki is someone whom I should consider as my first real kiss.

She stood tiny and frozen before me while I was kissing her and it was a few minutes later that I found her responding back to my kiss. Her lips moved and it felt as though my heart was going to explode because I felt the annoying organ beating extra hard ever since I decided to convey my feelings towards the woman I came to like not because she has the same fate as I do but because I could no longer imagine my world without her in it. I cup both sides of her face because I though, I never wanted this moment to end. If it could go on forever, then I'd be happy enough to be with her. She kissed me back with the same ferocity as I do and I thought I heard my heart sigh over how… impeccable this moment was.

She leaned away—and I realized I was holding her against my body and almost instantly, I freed her—before she started shaking her head. "No…" she whispered before looking up at me. "—No, Takumi. You can't be—"

Realizing what she said, I immediately cut her mid-sentence. "It's too late." Damn, it's too late. It's far too late. She couldn't refuse me. _She doesn't have the right to refuse me_. "I like you."

Blood colored her cheeks—and despite the inappropriateness as of the moment, I still find the time to think that she looked really lovely when she's blushing. "You can't like me. Can't you see? I've got a bad reputation everywhere—"

I interrupted her again. "I don't care about those trivial things."

"Trivial? Takumi, I'm the outcome of—"

I shake my head. "Its too late now, Ayuzawa. I like you, and I don't care what other people say, do you understand that?"

"B-but… but—" she gasped when I closed in the distance between us again and peck her lightly on the lips.

I looked at her straight in the eye before saying, "Can't we simply be together without making things complicated? Who cares if we're both repercussions of an illegal affair? My mom had an illegal affair too with some guy who serves her but look at me; I don't get affected when they are badmouthing me because only I know my true self. You should be like me. And even if I wasn't an illegitimate child, I still would've liked you. Have more confidence on yourself, Ayuzawa."

Her mouth dropped. "Wait… you are that Walker Takumi everybody at school is talking about?"

I kissed her again. "Yes. Walker is my English surname. I am that Walker Takumi everybody at school talks about." She stared at me, and tries to look away but again, since I don't want her eyes to be looking on someone else but me; I forced her to face me. "Don't look away from me. Look only at me, Misaki."

She swallowed. "You could get a bad reputation if you stick with me."

"My reputation is bad enough. I wanted you, that much I know of." She sighed and I exhaled too. "I like you, so please, go out with me… and I'll make sure you won't regret being with me."

.

Wee! It's done! I hope, despite being short, this chapter is something that keeps you at the edge of your seat. I really like confessions and I've done a lot of research and read a lot on various references as to how males confessed on girls they like—I even asked my male cousins for their help. Anyhow, again, I hope you like it. The following chapters now deal with Misaki and Takumi's dating situation.

And as always, do tell me what you think.

-Andy-


	4. Chapter 4: Faith

**Providence:**

-;-

At night when the stars light up my room

I sit by myself, talking to the moon.

Trying to get to you. In hopes that on the other side, you're talking to me too

Or am I a fool who sits alone, talking to the moon?

-;-

_**Unleash your imagination and let the words flow.**_

_**_ FFN & FP_**_

If there ever was a time that we cannot be together, put me in your heart and I'll stay there forever.

**Chapter Four:**

One thing about Ayuzawa is she surely knows how to make me laugh.

Our complicated status became the talked of every student in Providence and whereas she keeps on telling me to ignore the odd gazes thrown at her, I was almost agitated. I simply hate it when they are either giving her the evil eyes or that annoying disgusted looks on their faces as tough she was the scum of the Earth. It was annoying. When Aoi and the others found out about our not so secret status, they supported me and even went as far as befriending Ayuzawa. Aoi is fond of her, of course, and I couldn't blame them for that because Ayuzawa Misaki is simply adorable and lovely.

Maybe, that's one of the many reasons why I like her so much.

The annual Charity Ball landed exactly on September twenty seventh that happened to be Ayuzawa's date of birth too. I didn't bring out the plan of inviting her because surely, I myself wasn't certain whether I wanted to attend that ball when the only thing girls does when they get within a kilometer from me is to feel up my ass. And I obviously hated it—it's like being assaulted in public while the people could care less of what is being done on you.

As for the two of us, we've been dating for two weeks now and aside from our never-ending conflicts with regards to how people treat her whenever I'm around, I could say that everything else is perfect. She dislikes it when I'm getting mad over people who treat her like a pariah—especially on Kaon—and keeps on saying that I might lost my King title on the school if I continue growling at people who ANNOYS me with the way they treat her.

I felt something brushed against my cheek and when I opened my eyes, the first thing that welcomed me are those fluffy things Ayuzawa keeps on calling cotton candies. I tilted my head sideways to check out the person sleeping beside me in time to see the most ethereal face resting just as comfortably next to me. I kissed Misaki on the forehead and that kind of action triggered her to wake up and meet my eyes.

She smiled and closes her eyes again. "Ogling on me again, Usui?"

Laughter bubbled naturally out of my throat. "So full of yourself again, Ayuzawa?"

"Right." she sat up and I took it as a chance to occupy her lap since I absolutely dislike whenever she's—even for a centimeter—away from me. She laughed. "You are such a child. Why can't you display this kind of affectionate character at school?"

I shrugged. "Maybe because I wanted to show it only on you."

"Hmm…" she caressed my head and damn that felt so good. Her every actions feels as though she was keeping me more enthralled on her very being… and again, I didn't know if it was a good thing or not. I captured her hand that was caressing my hair and placed a light and chaste kiss on her palm. She sighed. "You don't know how that felt so good."

My forehead creased. She likes making out with me? "What?"

"That." She shakes our clasped hands. "The gestures felt as though you think I'm the most special person in the world."

I thought she likes making out with me. "But you are." _God, since when did I ever like making out with her? I'm such a pervert._

"That's really nice to hear." She touches my face again and I was left with no choice but to hold it again and kissed it. She laughed. "You're such a kid."

"Says the girl who's a year younger than me." I sat up suddenly and fished out my phone—my vibrating phone—before switching it off at the sight of Aoi calling. When I look up at Misaki, she was already frowning. My forehead creased. "What?"

"When your friend is calling, you weren't supposed to switch your phone off. It should be an emergency."

"Aoi never calls with that number when there's an emergency." I informed her before leaning forward to press my forehead on her. I sighed. "I love you."

Misaki laughed at that. "I know that already." I leaned forward to kiss her forehead then her nose before firmly kissing her lips. She responded almost positively and it was seconds later before I realized we are laying on the grassy ground with her on top of me. She laughed again. "I don't want to be put on headlines tomorrow." She leaned away and started looking around the park we've decided to hide into to get away from public attention. I looked around too before pulling her towards me again so I could hug her.

She punched me playfully on the chest. "You're such a kid." She repeated.

"Is it wrong to want to hug the person you like just because you wanted to?" I leaned away from her before looking around too. Turning back to her, I pulled her up with me before pulling out the digital camera inside my pocket and wordlessly took a picture of her.

It was already too late when she covered her face. "What—stop that!"

I laughed, and continued taking pictures of her. "Don't wanna. I wanted to make sure I'd have a copy of every expression you could have for the entire day." I continued taking pictures on her while she jumped towards me to steal the camera away but since she was so busy stealing the cam off my hand, I tripped over her feet and together, we crashed down the ground with me on top of her. She flushed beet red while I immediately cringed away because I thought she'd have difficulty breathing. I winced when she suddenly punched me. "What did you do that for?"

"Punishment for taking pictures." She mumbled. Once again, she stole the camera from me—succeeding this time—before hugging me from the back to take a picture of both us. "There. Now, we're even."

I smiled at her and kissed her on the lips again while she hit the button again and automatically, it took a picture of us.

Misaki laughed afterwards. "Very even."

"Hm, that should be headlines, don't you think?"

"Very, very headlines."

.

"So, you two are really on that level now, huh?"

I nearly jumped out of surprise when Sakura Hanazono suddenly appeared before my eyes without prior notice. I scratch my head, fed up since everybody has been talking about it nonstop and I'm damn fed up about it. I looked around first, wondering where Ayuzawa was before walking right straight into my pad since we agreed to meet here for her scheduled Math and English tutorials. "How did you get in here?"

"I know your secret, Usui Takumi."

I sighed. "Which one?"

"Oh, the most vital one." She answered and followed me to the kitchen since it seemed as though she already settled herself in my flat. "You work as an undercover assassin under the Walker family." I froze upon hearing that and immediately, I spun around to face her and walked towards her until I'm finally right in front of her.

I glared at her. "How did you know that?" I asked through gritted teeth. "From whom did you find that out?"

"Because I work under Ayuzawa Misaki's family."

"Pardon me?" 

"I work under the Ayuzawa family, Usui Takumi." She repeatedly told me and started stepping forward to block any means of possible escape routes. "Why did you decide to date Misaki, Usui Takumi? Is it because she was the only heir and is about to inherit the entire Ayuzawa legacy?"

"What?!" 

"You didn't know?" she laughed out sardonically. "That's funny. Isn't it that the job of us murderers is to spy on the people we are to target next? You have plans to kill her, didn't you?"

"Somebody has plans to kill her?"

"Stop lying, Usui—"

I grab her by her shoulders and pulled her towards me but in a way that would put emphasis some distance between us. "Stop going in circles. Get straight to the point, Hanazono. Who's planning to kill her?"

But before she could as much as answer, her phone shattered the awful silence between us. She fished out her phone from her pocket and checked out the name registering.

It was Ayuzawa Misaki.

.

**Ayuzawa Misaki**

"Kuuga-kun, if you have plans to asked Sakura-chan on a date, then go for it. There isn't anything wrong with that."

After stuffing the baking pan with the English muffins I'm to bake, I opened the oven, set the timer before closing it and waited for fifteen minutes for it to bake. I cleaned my workspace since it was absolutely messy before I started on the noodles. I hit the loudspeaker button of the phone and spoke again since Kuuga-kun—one of my close childhood friends—has remained silent while I'm working.

"Still alive?" I asked with a laugh obviously marring my voice. "Don't look as though you're out to invite her for a ride in hell."

From the other end of the line, he scoffed. "Because Sakura might eat me alive if she finds out I… er, well… I—"

"You like her." I continued on since it looked as though he was about to die saying it. I ignored the shriek he produced and continued watching the noodles boil before speaking again. "What's the problem with that? So what if you like her? It's no crime liking someone."

"Says someone who got herself a boyfriend weeks ago."

I laughed again. "That's beside the point."

"Ask me how you sound."

With my forehead creasing, I said, "How do I sound?"

"Like a lovesick shit." At my laugh, he exhaled. "You really sure about that Usui Takumi-guy? He looked like the type to leave a trail of broken hearts upfront his grave. And didn't you know the rumors? He's—"

"An illegitimate child like me, I know." I sighed. "But I really admire Takumi, you know? Despite being labeled an illegitimate, he still moves forward unlike me. That's what I like about him. What about you?"

"I'm not gay, idiot."

"You know I wasn't speaking about that." When the oven started beeping, I rushed towards it and pulled out the pan where the baked muffins sat comfortably. "Anyhow, I've baked muffins to bring over Takumi-kun's place. I'll be leaving some and you could come over and tell Sakura-chan you baked it for her." I smiled. Kuuga-kun snorted. "Right, she hates blonde liars."

"And you're fond of co-illegitimates. Are you two forming a club now at school?"

"That doesn't sound like a plan. Anyhow, I'll be calling Sakura to tell her to come get the muffins and bring some over to your place and then, you could go asked her out for a date, copy?"

Defeated, Kuuga answered, "Roger that."

"Well, see you at school." That and I hung up. I was just about to go dial Sakura's phone when I heard someone open the door to my pad. I didn't know what hit me because my heart started to palpitate but instead, I continued dialing Sakura's phone before I ducked down to the counter to hide myself and reached out for the knife on one of the drawers.

I was well aware of my current status since rumor has it that I'm the next leader of the Ayuzawa zaibatsu. But of course, I couldn't welcome that fact since I'm nothing but an illegitimate child so I decided to tell father that I couldn't inherit the entire bequest. I could work under it but I'm not going to inherit it. Thus, after that rumor, weird people started to stalk on me as if I was being secretly watched over. I leaned back on the counter, and when I heard heavy footsteps that don't seem to belong to Sakura—and to some guy instead—I started crawling towards the other end of the counter; knife on hand.

I crawled silently, my heart beating furiously and made a quick decision to run like a madman to the nearest exit when instead, I went face to face with a pair of legs wearing rough jeans.

Looking up, I gasped at the sight of a gun pointed right in front of my face. The stranger's finger twitched and before I could let out a proper reaction, he pulled on to the trigger.

There were two kinds of pain: the throbbing pain on my temple and that sharp pain seeping through the veins of my left shoulder.

.

**Usui Takumi**

I made a mad dash towards Ayuzawa's flat with Sakura trailing behind me in extreme hurry.

I've never felt so agitated in my life and it felt as though while I haven't seen her safe and sound, the agitation my heart is currently in to wont lax down any coming minute. I was impatient and cranky during the elevator ride that I nearly jumped off it and used the emergency stairs instead. But I would need my strength after this—and I prayed so hard never to use it, promising to do anything so long as she's safe. My hands trembled while I assured my self that I brought my gun with me and when the lift finally skidded into a stop on her floor, I almost ripped the doors open to get to her quickly.

And the first thing I noticed is the blood on the latch.

Sakura tensed behind me. "Oh, no. No, no, no."

No, no, no, no. This isn't fucking happening. I kicked the door open, slightly startled at how messy the place was—contrary to what I've seen previously—and took note of blood on the floor and walls and almost on all corners of the square sitting room before quickly looking around. A shadow past through my peripheral vision and I swiftly followed it in time to see the back of some guy standing right before me. There were several men on the floor too and it had slightly confused me until a flash of black and brown—always her hair—flickered on my line of sight.

"Back off from Ayuzawa." That and I drew out my gun and pulled on the trigger and shoots the guy right straight to where his heart sits. He groaned and fell down on both knees before completely collapsing on the floor. I stared at the shaking and petite figure before me and instantly recognized Ayuzawa who had blood covering the expose skin of her face, neck and arm. Since she was wearing something sleeveless, it was easy recognizing whether she sustained wounds or simply got blood splattered on her pale skin.

I clenched my fist at how terrified she was as she looked at me. Her eyes had that hesitant emotion when she pointed out the gun on me. I didn't flinch and very slowly, I drop the gun on the floor and took a step forward her. I froze when she back off; adding more distance between us.

"Don't come near me." she stuttered, the end of the gun still on me. "Stay where you are!"

I clenched my fist again and tilted my head slightly to gaze at Sakura. "Let me handle this." I told her and turns back to Ayuzawa again. "Can't recognized me anymore, Ayuzawa? It's me, Usui Takumi," I resisted the urge to add _your boyfriend. _"—I'm one of your best friends, remember?" That seemed to have dawn on her because some kind of emotion fleeted past her terrified gold orbs. _Come on, remember me already. Don't hurt me this way. "_Ayuzawa, come here."

She looked as though she wanted to come, but terror still reigned over her as she shakes her head. She looked past me and onto the only exit of her flat before averting her eyes back to me.

I lend out my hand again. "I won't hurt you—I won't let anybody hurt you." Even yourself. "Please, recognized me already. It's me, it's Usui Takumi."

"Ta… kumi?" she asked and her arms quivered as she drops down the gun. I noticed her arm and how off it's color was. It was until seconds later that I realized that she was bleeding, and she had that bruised at the corner of her paling lips. "Taku… mi?" she says again and her eyes began to water. "Takumi…. Takumi… help me."

Within three huge strides, she was immediately in my arms and I couldn't help but heaved out a sigh of relief when her body easily fitted mine. I breathe in her scent even if she smelled like a mixture of blood and familiarized myself with every bit of her. I kissed the side of her neck. "Don't worry, it's over now." Her grip tightened and I felt blood soaking my chest so I hurriedly check out her chest if she had any wound. But the only thing I saw is that her left shoulder is bleeding profusely and that she had a cut on her temple.

I turned to Sakura as I carried her into my arms. "She won't stay in this filthy place anymore."

She acknowledged what I said. "I'd arrange for a safe place where she could—"

But I instantly cut her off. "She'll be staying where she's safest," I walked towards the exit. "My place."

.

"How is she?"

Tomu, Kaon's brother, removed the stethoscope off his ear and turned back to me before pulling out the pills on his pocket and handed it to me. "She'd need sleeping pills and anti-psychotic drugs if she were to react that way again once she awakens." He told me. "And that wound on her shoulder seemed deep. I stitched up her temple too before her body goes into shock. She had bleed extremely, Takumi. What happened, tell me. And who is this woman?"

I darted a quick glance at Sakura who nodded at me before exhaling. "She's the next leader of the Ayuzawa zaibatsu. And because of that, she was being targeted by people who wanted to get the Ayuzawa wealth all for themselves."

Tomu nodded. "I see. So she is that woman Ayuzawa Misaki, huh? May I ask what your relationship is with her?"

I glared at him irritatedly. "She's mine."

"Hm," he mused before staring back at Ayuzawa again and checks out her blood pressure since she had recently taken two anti-psychotic pills that knocked her into some kind of sleeping trance. "—Well, she's out of danger now so I should get going. I'd inform Satsuki-san of your plans to allow her to stay here, okay?"

I nodded. "Okay." When he got away from Ayuzawa, I swiftly took the position next to her and claimed her pale hands—not caring anymore whether Kaon, Aoi, Sakura and the others are present with me as of the moment.

Instead, I stared at Ayuzawa and focused my entire attention on her before kissing her cold hand with such affection. She nearly went into a place wherein I couldn't follow her. My hand gripped hers tightly and the thought of her disappearing right before my eyes bubbled out my stream of thoughts. Almost automatically, my entire system rejected the idea. It was taboo, it was blasphemy… and I wouldn't allow something as vile as that happen ever again.

Ayuzawa Misaki is mine. I would never allow anything—or anyone—part us. Wherever I go, she would follow, too—and I'd make sure of that.

Aoi stepped forward before smiling at me. "Well, I guess we should call it a day. I arranged things already and Misa-chan's father settled that he should call tomorrow to make sure she's fine."

I nodded at him. "Close the doors when you leave."

"Goodbye, Takumi." They left the room and I trusted Aoi to settle things for the day before I focused my entire attention to Ayuzawa again and pressed my lips against the back of her hand. I sighed. I will make sure she won't experience that kind of thing again.

.

"Er… can I ask what I'm doing here?"

My entire system tense upon hearing Ayuzawa Misaki's voice and instantaneously, it felt as though every conscious veins in my body rejoiced to know that she was finally awake and that she had no traumatic reactions at the sight of men. I pocketed my phone and face her, leaving a safe distance between us just in case she wasn't ready yet to be anywhere near me before smiling at her—the one I'm used to only showing to her.

Her forehead creased, but she didn't take steps forward me. "Takumi… why are yo here?"

"My place." I answered before shoving one hand in my pocket and looked away disdainfully. Damn, how am I going to start a conversation with a woman who nearly got killed. "You're in my place." I said repetitively, fighting against the urge to say _where you are safest._

She looked around first and drops her gaze on me. "The safest place according to you—on your side."

Damn, when did she learn to read minds? "Yes. This is a place where I consider you are safest." I agreed idiotically. "Do you have any problems with that?"

"How did you know that I'm gonna get killed?"

"Hanazono and I…" I looked away. Why does this felt as though I'm a husband cheating on his wife? I exhaled. "That isn't the point as of the moment, Misaki. What matters to me is you—that you're safe. Let's drop that conversation for a while. Can I… can I come near you?"

Her eyebrow twitched before she nodded. "S-Sure."

"If it wasn't okay, you just have to say so—"

"It's fine." She interrupted me. "I don't mind since it was you. It's fine, Takumi." I nodded at her before taking careful strides towards her and when I'm close enough, I pulled her into a tight hug and cautiously cradled her, being careful on not hitting the areas where she was previously wounded.

I heaved out a sigh of relief, relieve that she was fine and that she was still warm and that she was safe here in the confines of my arms. Her hands found my forearms, and she gripped on it tightly as if for support before finally hugging me. "I thought I would never see you again." I told her while breathing in the scent of her neck. "I'm gonna blow a fucking fuse if something were to happen to you."

Thankfully, she finally laughed. "Thank you for blowing a fuse had something happened to me. I know you'd take revenge for my death."

"Don't say it so casually." I hissed at her before leaning away. "I will never allow anything to part us, you understand that?"

"So possessive, Usui Takumi." I snorted at her and was about to say more when she suddenly swayed. Good thing I was able to caught her or she would have landed on the ground. I carried her up in my arms, ignoring her protests as I lay her back down the bed. She frowned at me. "Why am I feeling dizzy?"

"Because Tomu—our family doctor—injected anti=psychotic medicine on you to keep you calm and restful." I pulled on the blankets and drape it on her before brushing hair off her beautiful face. "You should sleep more, Misaki. You would need that."

She yawned. "That too. I'm feeling sleepy, too—it's weird."

To me you're the weird one.

"You saying something?"

"I said, sleep." I placed my palms over her eyes before exhaling. "You would need strength, Ayuzawa. Lots of it. Because form now on, your life will be implicated by nothing but danger." She murmured something unclear and when I removed my hands, her eyes were already shut close and she was already sleeping peacefully and without a care in the world.

I stared at her serene face before slowly leaning forward to place a chaste peck on her lips. I couldn't contain my smile as I kissed her on the forehead and on the lips again.

_You're not going anywhere without me, Ayuzawa Misaki. I would never let you off to a place where I couldn't follow you anymore. You belong only to me._

_._


	5. Chapter 5: Preordained

**Providence:**

**-;-**

**Synopsis:** Wherein he fell for her hard and fast, and the only thing Usui Takumi ever desired and wanted is to possess Ayuzawa Misaki as only his.

-;-

At night when the stars light up my room

I sit by myself, talking to the moon.

Trying to get to you. In hopes that on the other side, you're talking to me too

Or am I a fool who sits alone, talking to the moon?

-;-

_**Unleash your imagination and let the words flow.**_

_**_ FFN & FP_**_

If there ever was a time that we cannot be together, put me in your heart and I'll stay there forever.

**Chapter Five: **

Rumors escalated, that was for sure and I could care less about it.

I was once the type who doesn't give a damn about almost anything. But now, it absolutely bothered me that the speculation about us living under the same roof had also leaked out and that the one mostly affected was her. I walked towards the busy corridor, feeling ungrateful even if students are already giving way for me due to the deadly aura emanating from my very being. I glared at people—females, in particular—who still finds the damn chance to feel me up—and stares down at guys who keeps on congratulating me as if what they are saying is something I needed.

Because only God knows whom I really need and want probably until I'm freakin' old.

I punched the locker—the one I'm looking for—with too much brutality but secretly regretted it since Ayuzawa Misaki flinched at the sound of my fist crashing against metal before staring down at her since she was barely tall enough to reach the level of my shoulder. She jumped, startled before staring consciously at the crowd who obviously watches both of us now. She gave me a '_What do you think you're doing'_ look and continued pulling out her textbooks before saying, "If you didn't stay away from me, it would add fuel on fire."

I glared at her. "Do you think I care about that?" I asked before pulling her face and staring at her lips—the corner—only to find a bruise that wasn't supposed to be there on the first place. "Who. The. Fuck. Did. This. To. You?" I asked her, emphasizing every word with blatant anger.

She slapped my hand away, and the rejection nearly killed me with anxiety because I thought I felt my annoying heart skip a beat before accelerating, kicking my ribcage hard. "Stop that." She whispered, obviously embarrassed. "Usui Takumi, I don't want you to be troubled because of a trivial matter—"

"If you were disturbed by it, then it is not a trivial matter to me—"

"Don't do this, okay? We could meet later—"

"I'm your boyfriend, am I not?" carefully, I pushed her inside the locker and stood right before her, covering her from people who wanted to get the chance to look at her face before leaning forward her. And clearly, I was certain I heard someone gasped. _How filthy_. "Whatever concerns you concerns me. Didn't I say it already? You're mine—and that equally translates that your business is my business too."

She was ducking away while I continued leaning forward. "Er… don't display your affection here, all right? I'll tell everything."

Good. It worked. I leaned away and got her books on her hand before pulling her on the safe side with me walking next to the annoying and already forming crowd around us. I glared at people, warning them to keep their distance before looking down on the petite girl next to me and glaring at that annoying bruise that now sits on the right corner of her lips. I clenched my fist tightly. "Last thing I remember, you don't have that bruise on the corner of your lips."

"I got it from kissing you."

"Don't play with me, there isn't any way that I'll hurt you." I held her elbow, drawing her closer since the distance is enough to turn me cold. When I felt her warmth, it had calmed me completely. "Aoi told me so you can't lie about it anymore. You got into a fight."

Ayuzawa sighed. "Promise, it wasn't my fault. They were gossiping about something and Sakura-chan was so annoyed about it that she ended up hitting that woman. They told her to back off and I don't want her to get into trouble so I butt in. and then, they all look suddenly vicious and they told me about this gossip that we are living under the same roof. Obviously, I was to deny it and then Umekouji-san appeared and she said they were just envious of me because they wanted to be in the position. They were about to engage into an all out fight and I have to stop it because I started it and before they could even pushed Sakura and Umekouji-san, I jumped into the middle and then—"

"Okay, okay, calm down. Breathe." At my instructions, she breathed in and out before staring back up at me sadly. I sighed. "I'm not blaming you, okay? It was all my fault—not yours."

She frowned, and together, we started walking again to our History class. "I wasn't blaming you. It's really hard if you have a celebrity for a friend."

"You mean boyfriend, right?" She laughed, and again, that calmed me. "Have I ever told you how much your laugh makes my day?"

She froze. "Pardon?"

"Continue laughing, okay?" I suggested while looking away since what I'm saying makes me obviously embarrassed. "I like it when you're laughing."

Once again, she laughed. "What are you embarrassed about now? You already announced to the entire student body that you are my boyfriend—there shouldn't be any reason for you to get shy now. Personally, I also think that you're the type to leave a trail of broken hearts at your grave."

I caught on to the essential word. "Also?"

Ayuzawa nodded. "Yes. Because Kuuga-kun and Sakura-chan thinks the same way, too." She started laughing, and that kind of gesture made me warm. "They think you're the type to make girls cry once you rejected them."

I looked away. "I'm not gonna do that to you."

"What was that?" she asked with laughter obviously marring her voice. I glared at her; she raised both hands in defeat. "Just kidding, you know it's funny."

"Funny." I mumbled sardonically and entered the classroom first before dragging her with me. She waved at Hanazono and Sakurai who were seated together next to the windows before she took her usual seat while I occupied the open space next to her. I settled her books down her table and stared at her again. "You know I don't like it whenever you get hurt."

Ayuzawa sighed. "I know." She smiled at me and playfully flicked me on the forehead. "Don't be bothered by it now. What happened was clearly by accident." I frowned at her. She laughed instead. "Come on now, are you going to stay grumpy for the rest of the week?"

"Whatever."

She giggled, and I was glad she was okay now before turning my attention up front when the professor finally arrived.

.

"Kaon."

Kaon's back stiffened and I wondered in confusion over her reaction as she spun around to face me—she had that anxious and guilty expression on her face when she turned and met my gaze.

My forehead creased. "Why give me that expression? This is the first time we've spoken after ages." Anxious laughter bubbled out of her throat as she looked away. "Kaon, what's the problem?"

She had one hand on the pocket of her pants and she was standing stiffly as if something was bothering her. And slowly, it started to bother me too. It startled me though when she finally snapped her eyes on me but this time, anger was present on her dark brown orbs. "You really don't know why?"

I took hold of my suddenly raging disposition. I came here to make peace with her because it was so obvious she was avoiding me and this is what I would receive? "Maybe if you'd tell me, I would know."

"I like you, Takumi—that's the gist of the problem." I froze before staring at her intently, looking for signs that she was kidding only to find none. I looked away. She grinned sardonically. "But instead of liking someone with the better familial background that could benefit you, you chose someone with the same preordained destiny as you."

I glared at her because definitely, what she said looked as though she was badmouthing me. It shouldn't have hurt anymore, but the mere fact that I heard it right from her mouth—when she's my friend and all that shit—felt as though she had slapped me. "So, you think of me that way huh?" was all I was able to say before I turned on my heels so I could get away from her. And for the first time, I felt only disgust for the person I once recognized as my friend. "Say that in front of Misaki and I swear you'd regret it."

"No, Takumi, I didn't mean it that way—I'm sorry." But I already ignored her and instead, was all prepared to walk off when she suddenly yanked me by the arm and pulled me against her. The contact made me cringed. The feeling was different whenever it was Misaki whom my skin would brush against.

Thoughtlessly, I yanked my arm back and stared down at her without emotion. "Don't touch me." I said; brutally frank.

Kaon bit her lip and looked away and to my extreme astonishment, she suddenly took further steps towards me before pulling me by the face and collided her lips against mine. That startled me, and I stayed frozen for a full minute before I regained the strength to push her and cringed away from her.

"Why did you—"

"Takumi," on cue, came in Misaki's voice. It confused me because things seemed as though it was planted as I spun around to face her. "What are you doing here?" I asked her, slightly irritated now due to the very recent and unwanted kiss.

Her eyebrow twitched the slightest. "What about you? What are you doing here with her?" had the moment been less serious; I would have admired the jealousy coloring her voice. But I couldn't appreciate it and Kaon still annoys me as of the moment. "You two looked really intimate as what I can see."

"We kissed." Kaon said, beating me from explaining to Ayuzawa.

Astonishment colored her eyes next before she eyed me and looked away. "I've bothered you two, I see. Bye, then—"

"Misaki, that's not what happened—"

"Don't talk to me." that and she made a mad dash towards the nearest exit—and I thought I saw some small box hidden inside her tightly clenched fist as she made a run.

"Takumi, don't follow her—"

I glared down at Kaon. "Do that trick again and I swear I'll blow a freaking fuse." I slapped away her hands that were holding me down in place before running towards the same direction where Ayuzawa disappeared when she spoke again.

"You should be more careful around that woman, Takumi." She said, out of the blue. "You don't know when disaster might strike and take her away from your side." I was about to protest but she interrupted me. "You should have chosen me when I have given you the chance instead of that bastard woman. You'll regret it, I swear."

"You'll be the one who would regret things once you touch even a single strand of Misaki's hair." That and I went on to following Misaki again. The hallway leading to the courtyard was already empty but I still pursued on her. I went out into the fountain area when I noticed the same box she was holding previously seated comfortably on the fountain and is now slightly getting soaked. Next to the box was the same woman who I hold dear in my heart.

I walked towards her. "Ayuzawa."

Instead, she glared at me. "Don't talk to me."

"Don't be like this." I said before seating next to her even if her reaction was the same when Kaon touched me. _Now I know how Kaon felt when I rejected her. _"Ayuzawa, if I wasn't serious about you, you would have found out about it by now."

She scoffed. "You make it sound like I owe you something." She hissed back and again, some unspecified area in my heart started to throb painfully because I felt the annoying organ skip a beat and kicked my ribcage hard.

Even so, I tried to make the aura around us lighter. I noticed the changes on my disposition and instead of confusing me, I feel absolutely amused. It was diverting how one can change for the sake of someone you like. I kneeled before her and stared at her jealous amber eyes before touching her knees. "Don't be jealous." _I like only you. _But somehow, I couldn't find enough strength to tell her how much I'm obsessed about her. I don't want her to think I'm trying to strangle her with my love.

She looked away. "Who's jealous?"

"I'll guess. It was someone who had amber eyes and is holding what seemed to be a gift for me." I tapped the green wrapped up box next to her. "And her name is Ayuzawa Misaki."

"Why did you kiss Kaon?"

"There's a huge difference to me kissing Kaon and to Kaon jumping me." I answered her truthfully. "She jumped on me. I was startled by it because it was unexpected. I pushed her away in time you arrive—end of story."

"It isn't the end for me yet."

"Come on, drop this already. I," I looked away, the tips of my ears suddenly turning toasty warm. "—It's only you for me." and I don't know if it's a good thing or not. When I darted a quick glance on her, her face was already turning red too out of embarrassment. I decided to ditch the embarrassing confession and compel her to stare at me. "I like you, I told you something like that, did I not? Isn't it enough to assure you that I won't be looking at any other woman besides you? I'm serious about you—and I don't care whether someone else likes me because I only like you."

She stared at me for a full second interval before exhaling and finally nods. "Fine. I'm defeated this time."

I laughed. "You're expecting a fight the next time again?" she scowled at me. I laughed before pointing out the box next to her. "What's this?"

"Gift. For you."

"I think someone else's birthday is looming around the corner instead of mine." But I still got the box and handed it over her. I smiled at her. "Now, if this is really mine, please give it to me properly instead of letting it get soaked near the fountains."

She stared at the box and exhales sadly. "The wrapper is ruined."

I squared my shoulder casually. "Who cares, really?" so long as it was from you, I could care less whether you wrapped it in a plastic bag. "Now, please give it to me properly and make peace with me already." _I hate it when you're mad at me._

"Fine." She got the box and blow on it as if she wanted to dry the wrapper before handing it over to me. "I heard your birthday is around April. I know its months away late but I hope I could still make it. Very much belated happy birthday, Usui Takumi." She smiled shyly at me and placed the gift on my lap. "And I'm sorry for doubting you."

I got the gift and gently tear the wrapper before opening the lid of the velvet box in time to see a silver chain with a green ribbon embedded on the thick band. I laughed at it. "This bracelet suits you more than it does to me." I told her and look up at her. She frowned at me. I laughed again and starts putting it on. I met her eyes again. "Does it look good on me?"

Finally, she smiled a childish one and nods with such enthusiasm. "Yes. It suits you—" I didn't allow her to finish anymore because the urge to kiss her suddenly erupted in my thoughts. I leaned in forward and kissed her right straight on the lips and press my forehead against hers. Misaki looked down embarrassedly. "Jerk."

_I love you, too._

_._

The wind was getting colder as I approached that flower shop I used to buy from whenever I'd have the time to spare to visit my deceased biological father. I parked on an area near it and was about to go towards it when Misaki's familiar figure emerged out of the shop while carrying a bouquet of white lilies and orange poppies that clashed against each other's floral meaning.

I decided to ditch my plans and instead, waited for her as she rode her bicycle—placing the flowers on the front basket—and pedaled her way towards a private cemetery. My forehead creased, and I wondered what she could be doing on the same graveyard where Dad was buried until realization dawned on me and I remembered that her Mom and sister was buried somewhere in here too.

I switched the engines off and entered the yard—nodding at the guard-on-duty—before casually walking towards a nearby tree and hiding above it while I watched her kneel before the stone graves and prayed. She placed the flowers next to the stones and took the wilted ones to her basket before turning back to her mother, which was probably Ayuzawa Minako.

"Hi, Mom, Suzuna." She said in lieu of her hello. "Sorry if visiting time gets limited. As you can see, Uncle Seito enrolled me on the Academy he owned so I couldn't come see you whenever I want what with all the things I need to study for. In return, I am was tiring but really, it was fun. Some of the kids know how to make me laugh when I'm feeling down. They keep on playing the piano for me and listening was fun. Life was hard, of course, but Sakura-chan and Kuuga-kun are around to suffer with me—I suddenly felt bad for them. And as of now, I don't live on the pad Uncle Seito bought for me. Bad people targeted me. Again. Don't you think it's annoying how people continuously want money when they already have everything and all that—" she sighed as if to breathe first and caresses the cold marble stone of her Mom. "I miss you, Mom," she turned to the other grave. "—Suzuna. I feel so lonely here. When do you think will I be able to see you again? I haven't had any more dreams about you. I'm starting to fear that I'd end up forgetting your faces. I love you, Mom, Suzuna."

_Why? Why does it hurt me most knowing she was unhappy here?_

"Speaking of happiness, I met someone—and he simply wasn't just a nobody to me. I know I've told you back then that I hate blonde guys and all that but really, _really, _he was different. He talks with me as if my standing in the society isn't humiliating. It isn't like I'm embarrassed of what you did but really, he talks to me in a more… normal way—maybe it's because we have the same fate but Usui Takumi is different,"

_When to my eyes that are inured to the obscure…_

"—To my eyes that got so used to the dark,"

—_You are such a radiant sight._

"—Takumi-kun was such a luminous spectacle."

I shut my eyes closed, taking into memory her voice and continued to watch her as she blabbed on about Tokyo's bright lights and tall buildings. She joked about a few stuff too and mentioned Hanazono and Sakurai again before giving emphasis to my name. When she finally stands to leave, I fought the urge to make myself visible so I could spend some more time with her alone. She walked off towards the exit and I have no choice but to call this day another day.

But one thing's for sure; I will never allow anyone to part us.

.

"Takumi, what are you doing?"

Automatically, I snapped my head up to the direction of the voice in time to see Aoi occupying the seat next to me on the bar I was at. I ignored him and chug on the drink I was having while he ordered a drink of his own. Playfully, he elbowed me.

"Love problems?" Aoi inquired.

I snorted at him. "Like I'd really have something like that." I ordered another round again and drink it all up straightly before running a hand through my hair at the reminder of Ayuzawa's words right before the grave of her Mom and sister. Why? Why am I so bothered about it? Am I really not enough to make her happy? Because certainly on my part, I know that I only needed her to be happy.

Am I not enough for her? And our situation now, is she even serious about dating me? Damn. God knows I hate it when things get complicated. If Misaki wasn't happy with me, all she needs to do is to be blunt about it and I could accept it all. But could I really? Could I really accept it when I have this obsessive want and need for her? Once she finally decides to leave me, am I going to allow her to?

"Earth-to-Takumi." Aoi says beside me. I focused my eyes on her before looking away again in fear that he'd see my problems. And I wasn't wrong about that. "If you have problems regarding your relationship with Misa-chan, all you have to do is speak with her about it."

I groaned inwardly. "How am I going to do that when I wasn't even sure if she loves me?" 

He scowled at me. "Do you?"

"Do I what?" I asked in irritation.

But he seemed to not have mind it. "Do you love Misa-chan?"

The answer came out naturally as if I was only waiting for someone to ask me that impossible question. "I would not have been this agitated if I weren't serious about her." Even I was surprised about that answer and all the more had it agitated me. I roughly brushed my hair and started paying for my bill when this guy suddenly appeared and bumped against me, causing for his drink to spill on his own clothes. Aoi was fast as he stand next to me as I glared at the guy.

He started yanking on my elbow. "Usui, come on—"

"Usui?" the guy before me repeated before he started laughing. ""You mean, Usui Takumi of the Walker house?"

All the more had it irritated me. "Yeah. Got a problem with that?"

"Takumi!" Aoi hissed beside me. I brushed him away but all the more had he clutched more on my side. "Stop looking for a fight, okay? If Ayuzawa finds out about it—"

"Misaki isn't here as of the moment." I pointed out while pushing my sleeves up to my elbow, readying myself for a fight. "I could deal with her later. But right now, I'm in a bad mood."

The guy before me smirked and prepared for a fight too as he handed over his drink to some woman next to him. "So, come on, bastard of the Walker house."

"Asshole."

.

"OWCH!" I glared at Ayuzawa who simply glared back at me as she continually dabbed the cotton against the side of my lips. She dabbed it even harder and the only thing I could do is hold her tiny wrist and plant it down my lap and cringed away from her. "You're doing it on purpose."

She pulled her hand back. I refused to let go. "You've only noticed it now? Aoi told me everything. The too much drinking, doubting our relationship and asking for a fight." Sardonically, she smiled at me. "Am I getting this right so far? Or maybe, am I losing another detail like fighting with the future leader of the Igarashi zaibatsu?"

I looked away. "It looks as though he's more important to you than I—"

"Takumi, what is your problem?" she asked as he ripped her hand off my grip and slammed the cotton ball on the tinted center table. "Why are you being like this? Worst, why are we having this kind of discussion?"

"Maybe it's because I'm no longer sure about this."

Her jaw dropped and I instantly regretted saying it that way when it wasn't the right words as of the moment. Her shoulders fell too and again, I searched for a way to take back what I've said. All the more had I regretted it when she answered me a, "Is that so?"

_No. It wasn't like that, Ayuzawa. _"I guess so."

"You don't want this anymore? You should have said so earlier." It startled me when she started fixing the first aid kit and proceeded towards my bedroom since she was the one using it as of the moment and when she was out, she already had her bags with her.

_She's leaving. She's leaving me—"_Ayuzawa—Misaki, wait, that doesn't what I really mean—"

"Don't touch me—"

"Ayuzawa, wait," _Crap, what should I do. Aoi, help me. "_I didn't ask you to leave, did I not? Don't do this to me. And you can't go back yet to your pad. You've just been recently targeted by people who plans to kill you—"

"Do you think that being in this kind of situation should kill me too?" she interrupted as she drop her bags down and glared at me. "You're killing me, Takumi—wait, should I call you Usui-kun now? It looks to me as though we're strangers now the moment you said you want this over with."

I tried to explain things again. "That isn't what I mean, okay? You got it all wrong—"

"I don't need your explanation. You want me to leave? Then, I'm leaving—mmp!" without much thinking, I pulled her in the face and kissed her right straight on the lips. It wasn't the right situation, I know, but it could help calm the situation because it would calm me. The kiss was short and forceful and even if she was pushing me away, I still forced myself on her. And that was when I felt her hands pressed gently against my heart. The annoying organ skipped a beat and this time, I was gentle as I kissed her again. She responded almost positively until she leaned away and stared at me right straight on my eyes.

I continued watching her when she got her things again and marched out of my pad. Her words, "Goodbye, Takumi." echoed inside my head as it haunted my conscience for actually having the guts to hurt her. Why? How could I do something as cruel as this? She was homeless and many people wanted to hurt her because rumor has it she would be the next leader of the Ayuzawa clan. How could I let myself become an addition to her sufferings?

Without much deliberation, I got my coat and swiftly run after her in time to see her entering the elevator. "Ayuzawa!" I yelled. But it was already too late. The doors slid closed and had lain a could be permanent distance amidst us. I punched the doors at the last sight of her wiping her tears away.

Because this, time my idiocy cost me the disappearance of the one I love.

.

Another chapter done. Thank you for reviewing—I didn't quite expected that PROVIDENCE would earn 21 reviews even if I have only posted four chapter.

Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Two more left and then it's over.

Keep reading my fan fictions and as always, **do tell me what you think**.

LotsaLove,

**Andy**


	6. Chapter 6: Serendipity

**Providence:**

-;-

At night when the stars light up my room

I sit by myself, talking to the moon.

Trying to get to you. In hopes that on the other side, you're talking to me too

Or am I a fool who sits alone, talking to the moon?

-;-

_**Unleash your imagination and let the words flow.**_

_**_ FFN & FP_**_

If there ever was a time that we cannot be together, put me in your heart and I'll stay there forever.

**Chapter Six: **

"What's your problem? Why are you drinking senseless again?"

I ignored Shintani and chugged on my drink before running a hand through my hair as I look around the bar in search of someone with raven and brown hair just in case she would appear somewhere out in the dark.

It's has been exactly two days ever since I last saw Misaki, and hell, it felt as though I was being suffocated without her. I wanted to speak with her but I couldn't since she was avoiding me even when we are at school. And what's worse is, I heard from Aoi that her father set a dinner date for her and that bastard Igarashi Tora guy. I couldn't help punching the counter of the bar and banging my head against it before staying silent. Damn, this is all my fault—I don't have the fucking right to be jealous.

So, why am I this jealous again? I'm going to fucking kill that Igarashi bastard.

"Takumi, you're starting to freak me out."

I ignored him. "Shut up, will you?"

"Maybe I should call Kaon if you are having some kind of girl dilemma—"

"Do not involved Kaon in this." I ordered for another round of beer again and was about to drink it in when a set of familiar hands stopped me. Annoyed, I spun around the face the person who stopped me only to be surprised at the sight of amber eyes glaring at me. Looking past Ayuzawa Misaki's captivating disposition despite being angry was Aoi staring at me as though he had done such a greater deed. I yanked my hand back and faced her. "My, if it wasn't the person who left me."

Misaki exhaled; and I resisted that strong urge to kiss her then and there because I started fearing I might upset her again. "Come on. I'll take you home—"

"And then what?" I interrupted, cursing because by acting like the bastard that I am, all the more am I placing such a grave distance between us. "You're leaving again? Are you having fun simpering around that guy Igarashi Tora? Do you like him more than me now—"

"I don't want to fight with you, okay? Let me take you home. Aoi called me because he knows you'd get into another fight again. Come on—" but then, my anger peaked when that very person I loathed the most appeared right before my eyes and held Misaki by the elbow. 

"Ayuzawa-san?"

"Igarashi-kun, hello." She darted a quick glance on me before exhaling. "I came here to aid a friend, what about you?"

"I came here to get Chiyo—"

"She's mine. Isn't it obvious that we're having conversation here, Igarashi?" I yanked his grip off my Ayuzawa before pulling her to my side. I glared back at Igarashi. "If you have nothing better to say, then, we're leaving. Come on." That and I pulled Misaki with me. I pushed through with her to the crowded dance floor and was about to reach the main exit when I felt her rip her wrist off my grip and cringed away from me. I glared back at her. "What? You're planning to run back to that person who was already decided for you to be married off?"

It startled me, though when, to my intense astonishment, she walked forward me and slapped me hard on the face. "How could you accuse me of doing something like that, you idiot! Isn't it obvious that I came here for you even if I know I'm the last person you'd want to see!"

I froze, and that was when realization hit me. I caressed my face first before walking forward her. My eyes dimmed when she took two steps back as though she fears me. I exhaled. "I'm sorry."

"Wow, now you're apologizing." I watched her caressed her wrist that I was previously holding before I realized that I have hurt her not only emotionally but physically as well.

I closed the distance between us again. "Don't move away, please. I'm sorry—and I mean it. I wont hurt you, that's a promise." When I took another step forward, I nearly heaved out a sigh of relief when she remained on her spot. I decided to hug her. "I'm sorry, Ayuzawa. I'm really and truly sorry. Just so you know, I hate it when other guys get near you."

"You're jealous." She repeated. "But you told me you're no longer sure about this."

"That was… damn. I can't speak here. Come with me." I pulled her out of the messy crowd and into the VIP lounge before locking the doors closed. I pushed her down the couch while I paced inside the private room. I took the seat right in front of her and ran a hand through my hair in desperation. "Damn, that was my fault back there, Misaki—and I'm sorry. I mean it. Do you hate me now?"

She shakes her head in response. "No."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No."

I scratch my head and looks away. "I didn't mean to hurt you, okay? What I've said back then, that isn't what I was supposed to say. I was supposed to say—ask, I mean—if you're happy with me. If you're really happy here. Here. With me." I looked straight into her eyes. "I didn't mean it, Ayuzawa. I never really wanted you to leave. I wanted you to stay. I want you to stay here with me." I decided to ask for the vital question. "Do you still love me?"

At that, a whispery laugh suddenly bubbled out of her throat. "Yes." She sounded as though she was having fun while I was spilling my guts out right before her. "Even if the way you show your emotions makes you look like some jerk, yes, I still love you—and I'm happy here with you."

I was quiet for a full second before I charged towards her so I could hug her tightly. She was laughing as she intercepted with my actions and wrapped her frail arms around me, too. I lifted her off the floor and spun her around before planting her back on the floor again. "You don't know how you made me happy by saying that."

"What makes you think I'm not happy here?"

"Your Mom and sister." I froze when she stiffened. Thus, it resulted me to spilling out the truth. "When you went to the churchyard to visit your mom and sister, I was there because I was to visit my Dad. I overheard."

"You overheard?" she repeated. "You overheard what?"

"You said you were wondering when you could see them again—that made me think you weren't happy here with me." I looked away. "That's what set things off. I'm sorry."

She smiled at me before holding my hand and kissing it since she was too small to reach my lips. "Its okay, I understand. It's not your fault if you misunderstand me." She smiled again and I couldn't help but be infected by her affectionate smile as I lean forward and closer to her; aiming for her lips. But before I could do as much as kiss her, someone knocked twice on the door before it crashed open and out revealed Aoi and Shintani who looked as though hell was chasing after them.

I frowned at them. "What is it?" I asked, trying to contain my anger as I held on to Ayuzawa's elbow. "Can't you see that we're talking?"

"Not now." He said to me. "There's something that you should know." Walking forward, he smiled at Misaki and pointed out Shintani. "Misaki-chi, why don't you go out and order some drink first with Shintani? Takumi and I just needed to talk for a few minutes."

Misaki darted a quick glance on me first before smiling at Aoi and agreeing. "I guess I'll see you later." I leaned forward her before she could leave and kisses her on the cheek and gently pushed her towards Shintani. I glared at monkey boy before me. "If you return her on a less than perfect state when I've handed her over to you, be prepared to see hell." I threatened.

Shintani merely rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Takumi. Misaki-chan, come on."

They blended in to the darkness of the bar whilst Aoi shut the doors closed and faced me before revealing a stack of papers from his coat along with a few stolen pictures and handed it over to me. "I had Kaon investigated, Takumi, since she was acting a bit strange whenever Misaki-chi is being brought up. The results are out—it's on those papers."

Alarmed, I got the stack of papers and scan the contents before taking the pictures of Kaon having some kind of conversation with a few familiar men I was so certain I recognized. I clenched my fist tightly at the sight of one guy whom I shot to death before he could do as much as harm the person I'm so hell-bent on protecting. I looked up at Aoi, the truth now hanging idly right before my eyes.

"The secret's out, Takumi." Aoi said again. "Kaon works under the people who wanted Ayuzawa Misaki dead. That's the reason why she hates her so much."

I nearly tear the papers apart as I read out the information with regards to Kaon also associating herself with people who wanted Misaki dead. My hands were shaking and I could feel my anger peaking up to its zenith just in time the heavily tinted doors slammed open and out revealed Kaon's apologetic face. Misaki and Shintani stood behind her defenselessly.

Misaki was the first to speak—clearly oblivious of the current situation. "Takumi, we saw Umekoji-san by the bar so we invited her up here—"

"Stay away from her."

Misaki paused. "Pardon?"

I glared at her before storming towards her to pull her to my side before glaring at Kaon. "Stay. Away. From. Ayuzawa." I hissed at her through gritted teeth before slamming the papers and pictures on her face. Beside me, both Ayuzawa and Aoi gasped. Shintani, however, had his eyes rounded.

Misaki dug her nails on my skin. "Usui Takumi—"

"You," I started again. "—How could you have the guts to come here and face me when you have betrayed me already?"

Kaon scowled as if she had no idea of what I'm saying—but it was so obvious that she paled. "I came here to apologize and this is what I get—"

"Apologized?" I echoed before laughing sardonically. "You wanted to apologize. For what? For working under the people who wanted Ayuzawa Misaki dead? Is that what you came apologizing here for?"

"How did you—" she shakes her head as if what she was to say was a slip of the tongue. "That's not true. I'm not working under anyone."

Beside me, Ayuzawa's grip turned tighter. "E… Excuse me…?" she averted her eyes towards my direction. "Takumi… what do you mean by that?" she turned to Aoi and back to me again before eyeing the scattered papers on the floor. She bent forward to get one picture—a picture of the same man who attacked her days before. Her hands trembled as she looked up at Kaon. "You… You worked under my stepmother?"

Kaon stared at me first then to Aoi and Shintani before dropping her gaze on the floor and smirking. "So what if I am?"

I pursed my lips out of anger. "Why you—"

"I what?" she shot back angrily at me before stepping forward. Alarmed that she might do something, I hurriedly pushed Misaki to Aoi and protected her from what Kaon is capable of doing. She smirked bitterly even more. "Wow, you protect her as though I'm going to do something harmful to her. Is that how you show your love towards that woman who is a bastard just like you?''

I glared at her. "You have this entire evening to go pack your things and leave the country before your face goes worldwide as a wanted person—"

"Says the person who has killed people too." She cut me off. And I tensed because Misaki doesn't have any idea what she was talking about and it could set things off again. "Is this what I get, Takumi? Is this what I'm to get after loving you the first time I ever laid eyes on you."

"I could care less about topics besides the main point—"

I didn't dare flinched anymore when she slapped me hard on the face. Again, the three people present inside the room gasped. When I look up at Kaon, tears were already streaming her eyes. "Bastard." she said, and that pained me more than it should hearing from someone whom I already considered as family. "You are such a bastard, Takumi… I've loved you more than that woman behind you is capable of doing and now; this is how you'll repay me? I've secretly loved you for years and then that woman appears and I'm out of the picture immediately? If I can't have you then it'll be better if no one would have you at all." That and she pulled out a gun out of the coat she was wearing. She aimed it at us. "We'll be together in hell—"

I was fast as I jumped towards her and tried to steal the gun off her hands. But Kaon and I have been personally trained together so we are equal in terms of hand-to-hand combat. She slammed her head against mine and pushed me away and aims the gun on me again before aiming it on Misaki—her back pressed against the wall. Shintani was ready by the door while Aoi was too busy protecting Misaki who was staring at me as though her life depended on the outcome of mine.

My entire body suddenly felt hot and there was this strong urge bubbling out of my dtream of thought to protect Ayuzawa. But I couldn't obliged on my mind's orders because one wrong move could startle Kaon into shooting either of us. On cue, Kaon laughed while staring at Ayuzawa. "You're one lucky bitch, you know that, ugly? You've got all this boys protecting you. You know what, I changed my mind. Instead of killing you, I'd kill Takumi so I could watch you suffer."

That and she aimed the gun on me. Tears streamed her face again as she smiled at me. "I'll be right behind you, Takumi."

"No!"

There were two gunshots that followed the awkward silence and before I could even realized what hit me, blood bloomed like red flower on my chest. Behind Kaon was her brother Tomu and Maki. Blood stained Kaon's shirt too and I realized she was wearing what seemed to be a hospital gown hidden underneath the thick and unfamiliar coat I never imagined her wearing.

I waited for the pain to arrive but it didn't. All I know is that I was standing still on the ground while waiting for the explicit pain to eat me up. There wasn't any pain but my shirt was dyed red and when I looked down, that was the time I saw Ayuzawa standing before me with her blood dripping down the floor.

My entire system went still as she drops down and crashed against the floor.

No… no… no! "Ayuzawa!" It was as if the breath was knocked out of me. There were police around us now and people screaming. Another warning gunshot echoed on the blaring sound of the bar but I could care less about that. All I know is that Ayuzawa was before me and she has taken a bullet that was supposedly for me.

I was brought back to reality when Hanazono rushed to Misaki and shook her. "Misaki? Misaki? Oh, God, Misaki, no!" she then looked up at me in menace. "Why, why, why, Takumi, why! WHY?!"

A bullet that was supposed to be mine… she took it.

"Misaki, wake up!" violently, Hanazno shook her again but she received no response. I walked over them, ignoring people bumping me as I kneeled before Misaki and pushed Hanazono away.

_Please wake up… please… please._

I risked a glance on my bloody hand as my shoulder gave up as if it was affected by her current condition. Softly, I slap her on the cheek. "Misaki… Misaki… hey, wake up. Wake up, please… please."

Thankfully and very slowly, she opened her eyes and stared at me; her beautiful amber eyes in pain. "You were not… harmed?"

"Why?" I asked her, that warm sensation trying to break free from my eyes. "Why did you do that?" I touched her bleeding chest only to pull it away at the feeling of her blood on my hands. "Why?"

She shut her eyes closed and breathed out carefully. "Because I'm not going to let you to go to hell."

"Get the fucking paramedics!" Sakura yelled before she was pushing me away angrily. "Move, you asshole! If Misaki gets in bigger trouble—"

"Sakura, stop!" Kuuga—who appeared out of nowhere—intervened as she pushed Sakura away from me. "God, control your fucking temper, you understand? It wasn't Takumi and Misaki's fault, you got that? It was Kaon, get that into your thick skull!"

Sakura glared at me for a moment before she burst into heavy tears. Kuuga cradled her as the paramedics placed Misaki in a stretcher and was brought out of the private lounge. I was in complete daze as I followed them inside the ambulance—the others following suite by car.

.

I paced around the hallway as Tomu and his group of nurses aided Ayuzawa's fatal gunshot near the heart. I know the others are watching me while I stood there restless but I could care less about them. What matters to me is none other than Ayuzawa and Ayuzawa alone. She's been there for half an hour now, what's taking them so long? Tomu's duty is just to remove the bullet planted near her heart. What's taking him so damn long?

Damn it.

"Takumi?" I stilled pacing before snapping my eyes to the direction of the familiar voice in time to see Satsuki—my adoptive mother for some reasons and purposes—walking towards my direction. I tried to look normal—not crazed—as she approached me with Maria and that bastard Igarashi Tora standing next to Maki, Shintani and Aoi who seemed anxious too of Misaki's medical results. She walked towards me and gently clasped my hands.

"My son," she began. "—How are you feeling? Don't you want to go home and rest first?"

"Mom, you know I'm not a calm and collected person." I told her while glancing back and forth the O.R. "It was all my fault. I should have known—damn, I should have known." I punched the wall before me before collapsing on my knees to wash my face with my bloody hands—Misaki's blood. "It's all my fault, Mom. It was my entire fault. I should have been the one inside that damn place. It wasn't supposed to be Misaki. It should be me—"

"I know, I know." That and she hugged me again. "Calm down, now, okay? Come with me, have you eaten—"

"Mom, do you not understand every word that I said?" I lashed out as I paced around again. "She got shot trying to save me. I should be the one in there, mother. It shouldn't be her! It should be me. It should be me. Damn, it should be me—"

"For God's sake, Takumi, calm down!" Mom yelled and hugs me with such tightness. '"Calm down for Misaki-san's sake, please!"

I shut my eyes closed as my shoulders slumped down defeated and tiredly. "Ma… it was supposed to be me… I was supposed to be the one who goes to hell… and not her."

Satsuki started sobbing too. "Takumi… please, my son… please."

Slowly, I wrapped my arms around her tiny body as tears slid off my eyes. "It was supposed to be me… it should be me… if anything were to happen to her… what damn…"

I'm gonna blow a fucking fuse.

.

And it's done. As you can see, Providence is nothing but an uncomplicated story between Misaki and Takumi. This deals with your usual love story wherein the guy is a popular student who would fall in love with a socially misfit lady. :D. I'm sorry that I couldn't make it into a more than ten chapters. Because you see, like Magic Eight Ball, this is nothing but a diversion from Heiress that is about to be finish. :D. These stories are nothing but my healing stories since readers nearly killed me when I ended Bias tragically.

Even so, I hope you would still support me since after I'm done with this, I'll write another story entitled NETHERWORLD ACADEMY, another three to five chaptered story of KWMS couple.

Thanks for reviewing even if I couldn't grant your requests. Anyhow, NWA is something that has similarity with TBM this is for blommie8.

And as always, do tell me what you think.


	7. Chapter 7: Providence

**Providence:**

-;-

At night when the stars light up my room

I sit by myself, talking to the moon.

Trying to get to you. In hopes that on the other side, you're talking to me too

Or am I a fool who sits alone, talking to the moon?

-;-

_**Unleash your imagination and let the words flow.**_

_**_ FFN & FP_**_

_**-;-**_

If there ever was a time that we cannot be together, put me in your heart and I'll stay there forever.

-';-

**A/N**: It's been a long journey, dear readers. And I'm very glad to say that we have finally reached the zenith of **Providence**. Thanks for supporting me on every absurd story—and genres—that would come into my mind. I appreciate your reviews especially those reviews that would suddenly make me laugh and cower in a corner—on Bias, specifically. :). I hope you'd like the last chapter of Providence and as always **do tell me what you think**.

**Title:** Providence

**Genre:** Romance X General

**Dedication:** to all **FFN addicts** out there.

Advance and very, berry, Merry Christmas, people!

**Chapter Seven: **PROVIDENCE

Ayuzawa Misaki:

Things have their own preordained ending that was quite a fact. But the mere information about happy endings has always been a saying that I was a strong advocate of. Everybody has their own happy ending. If it wasn't a happy one, then it wasn't the ending yet. There will always be that person waiting for you by the end of your story and that was the time the so-called happy ending finally arrives to sweep you off your feet and be entrapped inside the safe confines of your loved one's arms.

That's why I believe it wasn't the ending yet for me. It wasn't a happy one, my actions became the instigator of tears and sorrow for that very person I cared very dearly after my Mom and sister's death. I love him—Usui Takumi that is. He was the only person that cared… the only person that understood me… the only person that mattered. When I've with him, the world just stops spinning and it was as if there was only the two of us existing. He made me realized how happy it was to still live and enjoy life to the fullest despite losing everything—and everyone—that I recognized myself with.

Usui Takumi had, to quote the Carpenters, loved me for what I am.

So, even if Takumi and I aren't dating anymore, it doesn't necessarily mean we aren't friends now. Of course, I still like him. But with his schedule and everything, and my part time work, we've decided—more like I did—to temporarily part ways for a while. I love him that fact won't change. He saved me on many ways that I can be saved and well, he stood by me whenever I need him. But he was just too perfect for me, and I can't be unfair to him because I can't prioritize him. He had duties same as I and if he and I are definitely made for each other, surely, providence will find a way to bring us back together again.

And then, we won't have to leave each other's arms anymore.

Every story has their own happy endings, but they aren't the same at all. And those stories are made to make sure hopeless romantics such as I would believe happily ever afters despite the trials thrown to us by life. Life is like an endless labyrinth of serpentine intricacies. But of course, there are many possible exits. One just have to find one's way out and to that person waiting for you at the far end of the finish line.

Again, even if Takumi and I aren't dating anymore, that doesn't necessarily mean I've stray away from my friendship with Aoi, Shintani and Maki-senpai. They are very good acquaintances who has done me such a great favor when my life was on the line. They were good friends with Sakura and Kuuga, too and well, I couldn't asked for anything more. I might have lost my family, but at least I was given the second life to enjoy my life instead of being miserable.

And thoughtlessly, my mind wandered off to the past that was supposedly long forgotten…

_Interval: __**Four Years back to the past.**_

_Domicile__**: Tokyo General Sanatorium**_

_Epoch:__** Unstipulated**_

Usui Takumi:

I opened my eyes and found myself still on the sanatorium where Ayuzawa is currently confined. Sitting up straightly, I suppressed the urge to groan to release the stress forming on my back due to sleeping with half of my body lying uncomfortably on Misaki's bed. The moment I was reminded of her, I instantly snapped my eyes to the patient on the bed and held her hand, checking out for responses just in case she has woken up already. But as unfortunate as it were, she still hasn't woken up. I checked out the digital clock on the bedside table, and saw the time. It reads quarter to two in the wee hours of the morning.

Finally, I released a groan and stares back at Misaki again.

_When do you plan to wake up, love? How long do you plan to keep me waiting?_

I kissed her hand again and pressed it on my frozen cheek before placing my head on the small space next to her to join her on her dreaming.

.

"Takumi, have you eaten your lunch now? Satsuki-san said that lest you don't want to be sent home, you shouldn't forget taking care of yourself."

I eyed the bagel Aoi drop on my lap before taking it to take small bites and rewrapped it again before placing it on the table beside me. I faced Misaki again, waiting patiently for her to wake only to end up releasing a startled growl when I felt someone hugged me. I immediately pushed the person aside and faced him and frowned at the sight of Shintani Hinata grinning playfully at me. I glared at him. "What did you do that for?"

Aoi looked as though he was so ready to smack Hinata with the fruit basket he was holding. "Hinata, you jerk."

Shintani raised both his hands playfully. "That's because you look as though you're planning to take suicide lest dear Misa awakens. Do you honestly think Misa would like it once she wakes up and sees you close to becoming a skeleton? Don't you think that she might think she was the cause of the sudden fall of your weight?"

I glowered at him, but then again, what he said makes sense. If she were to see me like this, she'd most likely think it was because of her. I ignored Shintani and got the bagel from the table again and finishes it before accepting the water bottle Aoi handed over to me and chugged it all in until it was nearly empty before focusing myself on Ayuzawa again.

But I swear I hear Aoi and Shintani laughing on my back literally.

.

.

Ayuzawa Misaki:

When I finally realized I was out of danger, I was so relieved to know that I won't be going to hell. It was as though a thorn has been removed off my frail system. So, I've been into a coma-like sleep for four days until I finally awoke with Takumi still by my side looking as though he's been into hell and back. I was shock, of course, but because of my operation, I couldn't properly react. I wanted to smack him, that was the truth since because of me, he lost a few pounds but he said it was worth the wait.

"_Takumi… do you remember Megara from that Disney movie Hercules?"_

I look down on the book I was reading—Ghost Huntress book Two—and smiled at Kendall's klutziness before looking around the park where I was supposed to met Aoi when I felt someone drape a coat over my shoulder to braced me from the cold September wind. I look back and saw none other than Usui Takumi.

"_What about it?"_

"_You were asking me why I took that bullet that was for you, right?"_

"_What. About. It?"_

"_I have my reasons."_

"_You think you're Megara now?"_

_I smiled at him. "Do you remember the time Hades made Hercules swear that in exchange of his godly strength, Meg remains safe and unharmed? That was the deal but then, and then there was an accident that nearly took Hercules' life, but Meg pushed him off the way and saved him just before the stone pillar take his life away."_

_Takumi sighed. "And then his strength returned to him and he asked Megara why she did that…" he froze and I couldn't help but smile at him; ushering him to go on. "And Meg answered, 'People always do crazy things… when they are in love.'" He frowned at me. "Even so—"_

"_People always do crazy things when they are in love." She repeated. "Takumi, I did that because I wanted both of us to live. I could never be me again without the security of your arms. I can't let you die just like that."_

"Takumi, what are you doing here?" I clutched onto his coat and closed the book I was reading so I could face him. "Is Aoi with you?"

He averted his glum emerald eyes on me that never ceases to make my heart beat faster and faster as though I've been into a race. "What, can't I come here without bringing either of my dumb friends?" I scowled at him because he has always been a sharp-tongued jerk and decided to turn my attention back to Kendall and Jayson when he suddenly got my book and closed it and placed it on the ground below him.

I frowned. "Always the ungrateful and arrogant bad boy, huh, Usui Takumi? Hand over the book please."

"What, you think your psychic Kendall Moorehead now?"

"You read Ghost Huntress too?"

"Are you stupid? It's because you're too easy to read that I could immediately guess what's been into your mind." He got the book from the ground and shoots it onto his book bag. And that was when I've noticed that he was wearing his usual formal attire that attracts the attention of other people: his usual black pants and white long sleeve polo. I watched him as he stand and walked towards a nearby-parked car before craning his head to stare at me. "When someone walks away like this, you are meant to follow."

I frowned, but follow after him anyway. "Takumi, if you wanted to borrow the book, you can always borrow it carefully—mmp!" I scowled at him and rubs my nose that hit against his back. "That hurts."

"I didn't come here for the book."

I arched an eyebrow at him. "Then what did you come here for?"

He looked away and massages his nape as though he was embarrassed about something. "You… I came here for you."

"Me?" my heart started to beat faster and faster. "What about me?"

"Cancel your meeting with Aoi today." He said this as he took further steps towards me and grabbed me by the elbow, carefully pulling me towards him and to the car. He pushed me inside and threw in his phone to my lap. "Here. Call him. He's on my second speed dial."

"Er, sure." I got his phone while he settled on the driver's side to bring the engine back to life. I fumbled with his phone, scanning through Aoi's name and hitting the Call button after seeing it. His phone rang twice before he answered it on the fourth ring.

"What are you calling me for you ungrateful—"

"It's Ayuzawa." I interrupted him before he could do as much as say something improper. "Can I cancel our plan today? Something came up and your _friend,"_ I put emphasis on the last word. "—ask me out for something I still don't know yet. Is it okay if we reschedule?"

He was laughing on the other end of the line as he agreed. "Sure, sure, let's reschedule. I'll see ya later! And tell your boyfriend that he could go to hell."

"He isn't my—" but before I could finished, the line was already dead. I shut my phone off too and handed it over to Takumi. "Here. Thanks for letting me use it."

He nodded. "Yeah." He placed it on his dash and continued driving.

Silence has always been a good thing for both of us. But then again, it was the talkative girl speaking. And my former boyfriend was the quietest ones amongst the two of us. Silence reigned between us, and when I couldn't take any of it anymore, I face him to open easy conversation. "So," I started. "—how are you doing?"

He shrugged. "Able to survive."

"Any new hobbies?"

"Still the same."

My forehead creased. "Still the same what?"

"Still the same thinking of you." I froze when he said that, and I couldn't help but be affected by the sudden turn of our conversation. He spoke again, breaking the awful silence between us. "What about you?"

I was immediately lost for word. "Same old, same old." _Stop thinking about this anymore. _But since I'm one to always talk, I was unable to stop myself from asking him such a rude question. "What is your problem? Why are we talking about this again?"

He didn't answer and instead, he continued driving. I fell into a crevasse of silence too until he suddenly swerved a dangerous left and entered a long dark highway that was guided by nothing but stars. I turned to the window, staring through the thick fog of darkness before turning to Takumi. "Where are we going?" I asked and faces the windows again to open the heavily tinted glass walls. The cold September wind immediately hit me square in the face but I could care less about it anymore. All that mattered is where he's taking me.

He turned another left again until there were faint lights on some break on some trees and parked at a reasonable distance before unbuckling his seatbelts. "Follow me." he decreed, and I was left without any choice but to follow after his commands. I unbuckled my seatbelts too and walked beside him as we got near a what seemed to be closed amusement park near the ocean.

I looked up at him again. "Is it closed."

"I arranged it to be specifically open for you."

"Me?" I echoed. "Me alone? You want me to enjoy myself here alone?"

Takumi sighed. "Us, of course." He softly flicked me on the forehead. "Dumb girl. You always know how to throw in stupid questions." He held my hand and it no longer bothered me that we are acting like a couple again. I held his hand back, our restrictions finally down.

Playfully, I elbowed him. "Don't you think we're too old for these?"

"Twenty one isn't old yet."

"You don't look like your age." I elbowed him again. "Now tell me, what are all these all of a sudden?" I asked; hoping it wasn't one of those questions he thinks that is dumb. "What's the occasion?"

"Birthday."

"Your birthday?"

Again, he flicked me on the forehead. "Your birthday, baka." He pulled me towards a customized table first filled with nothing but rose petals of white, red and green—was there even such a color?—and pulls a chair for me. On the personalized table are different cuisines of food I like that we eat together during our dates when we're still together. The memory suddenly saddened me. It must be so obvious that I'm still in love with him.

"_Have I ever told you how much I love you?"_

"_How do you want me to answer that?"_

"_Probably with a no."_

"_Then no, it is."_

"Ayuzawa, why are you crying? I haven't even started yet."

Immediately, I grabbed a napkin from the table to wipe my tears away that betrayed and ridiculed me before meeting Takumi's knowing gaze. It must be so obvious now. He must have noticed it by now. Damn. "Get on with it." I said while looking away.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay, then, let's get this over it." My forehead creased when he suddenly fished out a remote control from his pockets and pushed on the red button. A loud siren suddenly echoed and before I could even realized what's happening, people started to dance before me, some were wearing casual attire while some were wearing gowns—it was mob dancing.

I flushed when someone held me by the hand and made me danced a waltz before spinning me around and somebody else received me. People were smiling and I cant help but be self-conscious and disconcerted since I'm no good dancer. I look back onto where Usui was but the space he used to be at now stood desolate. The dancing continued and next thing I know, I was being brought next I front of a carousel where another set of people were dancing. I watched them with such enthusiasm as tears bubbled out of my eyes and next thing that happened was I was brought into a red carpet right in front of a huge Ferris wheel with chairs on its side. How come I haven't seen all these when we entered?

A huge flat TV occupied the center where photos of Takumi and I are being played. More tears escaped my eyes because these are all… surprising and astonishing—and I didn't know Takumi's form of greeting me a happy birthday would be this elaborate and posh. The unknown man beside me escorted me as I walked towards the red carpet while female dancers showered us with flowers petals. When I reached the end of the carpet, the MV halted and I was handed a bouquet of tulips and white roses and again, I was delivered to the front just behind the TV.

Up front was where Takumi stands.

He smiled at me and I couldn't help but cry more because what he was wearing started me—a suit only to be worn for wedding days. My escort gently pushed me to the stage where he stood while the loud music and people singing slowly lithered into a stop. He grinned at me and I couldn't help but spill tears because what he has done made me impossibly happy to the point that the only thing I could do is cry my eyeballs out.

I punched him on the chest and the mob dancers laughed. "What is this about, you jerk?" I asked while rubbing my eyes off with tears. "You surely know how to render me speechless, baka."

"I don't want to let you go anymore, Ayuzawa." He said while facing me. Silence erupted and my awful sounds are the only noises that can be heard. "Will you… will you marry me instead?"

I clenched my fist tightly as another dancer brought over a gold plate with a small red velvet box on it. Takumi took it and opened it to retrieve something from it before smiling at me. I cried even more at how things ended and I couldn't help but be overjoyed because I don't know how to react anymore.

"Ayuzawa Misaki," he said this in a way that can be heard by the people occupying the entire amusement park. "—will you do me the extreme honor of marrying me and being with me for the rest of our life?" he said this while he was on his knees and I couldn't have the heart to deny him of such request because if I do so, all the more would I ever regret things.

And I wanted him—only him. And if it weren't Usui Takumi, then he wouldn't be good enough.

While I was over pouring with tears, I gave him my hand he nodded.

"It's a yes!" I heard someone announced. "People, it's a yes! Mr. Usui received a big and bold YES!"

I laughed and cried at the same time while Usui placed the ring on my ring finger where it would sit for all eternity before he stands and sweep me off the ground so he could spin me around before kissing me fully on the lips.

People cheered and screamed for us and it was seconds later that I noticed familiar faces such as Aoi, Hinata, Maki, Sakura and Kuuga standing on one corner cheering for us too. I couldn't help but laugh before I throw out my bouquet and landed right straight on Sakura's face. Hinata whistled while Aoi pushed Sakura to Kuuga who was currently laughing too.

I turned back to Takumi and Takumi alone because certainly, no one else could tear my attention from him. I leaned forward and kissed him on the lips before grinning. "I love you and yes, I'll marry you, you jerk."

"The jerk is unnecessary." He said and lifts me off the ground again. "I love you, future Mrs. Usui Takumi."

So, we didn't have a happy ending at first but really, if it wasn't happy, then it wasn't a happy ending yet.

And ours is a living legacy that happy endings do exist.

Signing off,

Ayuzawa Misaki—no, scratched that, future Mrs. Usui Takumi, I mean.

.

…aNd ThE rEsT iS sTiLl UnWrItTeN…

LotsaLove,

AnDy :)

Oh, my God. It's over.

Thanks for being with me again. I posted this extra early because I wanted to start on The Netherworld Academy Chronicles as soon as I could. All questions about this ending would be answered on TNWAC. :D. Anyway, if you noticed, I didn't put emphasis on what happens next after the bar incidence because that wasn't the main point in the story. The main gist is how these two people would end up together.

That is to clear out confusions.

Anyhow, I hope you like it and as always, **dO tElL mE wHaT yOu ThInK.**

Thanks people! See you all in **The Chronicles!**

-Andy.


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